BMX professionals at the official opening of Craven Arms BMX track
Phase one of improvements to Craven Arms Playing Fields has been completed – a new BMX track designed with the help of the local young users has been built by Kent and Clark, builders of the London 2012 Olympic BMX course.
On Wednesday 31 October 2012 between 10am and 2pm members of Wrekin Riders will be at the BMX track giving displays, showing how best to ride the course, offering safety advice on helmets and padding and also do safety checks on bikes.
So if you are a BMX rider come along and meet the experts – if you do not have a bike there will be ones there that you can use.
The track will also be officially opened by Shropshire Councillors and Craven Arms Town Councillors, and this will take place at 10am.
The BMX track has been funded by a grant from the Community Spaces programme funded by the Big Lottery, and supported by Shropshire Council’s outdoor recreation team and Craven Arms Town Council. Still to come, for the playing fields, is a new larger play area, which has been needed for some time.
Craven Arms Area Youth Group is a local umbrella organisation for youth-related activity, and took on the role of developing the project and applying for funds. The group has worked extremely closely with Craven Arms Playing Fields Association, Craven Arms Town Council and Shropshire Council, who have made the project become a reality.
Neville Stephens, Chairman of the Craven Arms Area Youth Group, said:
“The eagerly-awaited BMX track is now here and it is lovely to see so many young people using it. At the official opening day, they will be able to get tips from professional riders on how best to use the track; it will be a good day.”
Steve Charmley, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member with responsibility for active and healthy lifestyles, said:
“It’s great to see a project like this bringing the community and partners together and giving young people a voice in their community to make things happen. I am sure this facility will bring many benefits to the area, including boosting the health and enjoyment levels of young people.”
David Evans, a Shropshire Councillor for Craven Arms and Church Stretton, said:
“This is long overdue for Craven Arms, and thanks must to go to all who have helped to get to this stage.”
Further events will take place to inform local people exactly what will be happening on the site in the coming months.
The project is also looking for volunteers to help with any aspect, including consulting children and young people, and looking at the longer-term maintenance of the site.
For further information, or to volunteer to get involved, please contact Vicky Turner on 07582 004017 / 01584 838242 or email vicky.turner@shropshire.gov.uk.
Further information
Shropshire Council’s outdoor recreation team have been project managing the scheme.
Craven Arms Area Youth Group
For more information on the group please contact Neville Stephens, Chairman on 01588 673253 or Vicky Turner on 07582 004017, vicky.turner@shropshire.gov.uk.
Community Spaces is a £57.5 million open grants programme that is managed by Groundwork UK as an award partner to the Big Lottery Fund’s Changing Spaces initiative. The programme helps community groups create or improve green and open spaces so that the quality of life in neighbourhoods across England is enhanced.
The programme was opened for small and medium grants (£10,000 – £49,999) in March 2008 and closed to new applications on 7 January 2011. www.community-spaces.org.uk
Groundwork UK
Groundwork supports communities in need, working with partners to help improve the quality of people’s lives, their prospects and potential and the places where they live, work and play.
Our vision is of a society of sustainable communities which are vibrant, healthy and safe, which respect the local and global environment and where individuals and enterprise prosper. For further information visit: www.groundwork.org.uk.
Big Lottery Fund
The Big Lottery Fund’s Changing Spaces programme was launched in November 2005 to help communities enjoy and improve their local environments. The programme is funding a range of activities from local food schemes and farmers markets, to education projects teaching people about the environment. Groundwork UK was appointed as a Changing Spaces award partner, responsible for distributing £50 million through its Community Spaces scheme.
The Big Lottery Fund, the largest of the National Lottery good cause distributors, has been rolling out grants to health, education, environment and charitable causes across the UK since its inception in June 2004. It was established by Parliament on 1 December 2006.
Full details of the work of the Big Lottery Fund, its programmes and awards are available on the website: www.biglotteryfund.org.uk.
