Brockington Youth Bike 2007 / 2008

Group takes a day trip to
National Motorcycle Museum 22/10/07

"I was Inspired - pass me the angle grinder"

Five young people from the Wednesday and Friday groups and two workers went on a trip to the National Motorcyle Museum in Birmingham. On show were over 300 British motorcycles dating back to 1901. In 2003 a fire raised the building to the ground, but the museum had been rebuilt and is bigger and better than ever. Everyone had a great day out and came away with some new ideas when designing their own bikes for the show next year.

The British were making Choppers before Harley Davidson

Before Plastic took over Chrome was King
Want to bring it back?

The aim of the Youthbike project is to give small groups of young people the chance to take part in extra curriculum activities. They start with an old motorcycle which the strip down. They then have the opportunity to redesign the bike, repaint, restore, use non motorcycle parts if they choose. In fact the world is their oyster and the youth workers are there to assist their dreams and ideas “come to life”.

The group that meets at Brockington College on a Wednesday evening are aged 14 to 19 year old. Some are at work others continue their studies at school or at college further education. Wdendesday night members now come back to meet as friends and for the love of building motorcycles and getting their hands dirty.

The Friday group consists of 8 young people chosen from Brockington College who have not found school life to always be their “cup of tea”. To sign up for this project they have to agree ground rules and part of these is that their behaviour and attendance at school improves to stay on the project. Over the past three years we have only had to let 3 young people out of over 40 that attended “go”. On completion on the year’s project in July the group enter their creations into the National Youthbike Award held in Lincolnshire and hopefully come away with an award or two.

Current Friday group at work

Sessions run on:

Wednesday evening 7 to 9pm
Friday 11 to 12.40am (by referral only)

Youthbike's New Home Until April 2008

Both groups currently work from a portakabin on the Brockington site, but in April 2008 we will move into our purpose built centre which will enable the project to expand and take more young people from the surrounding area.

Want to know more?

Contact:

Gary Bedford at Brockington College. 0116 2867944
Or David Popham 0116 2824540

Overalls can look "Cool"