Cwm Cycling Rhondda has been awarded insport Club of the Month for their continued work towards inclusion and achieving the insport Ribbon standard.
Cwm Cycling Rhondda was launched on the 17th June 2013 and has since gone from strength to strength providing the hire of specially adapted bikes, trikes and go karts for use on a safe cycle route at the beautiful Gelligaled Park Ystrad Rhondda; as well as the hire of mountain bikes for community use in Rhondda Cynon Taf. Cycling is “accessible for all" at Cwm Cycling Rhondda empowering individuals of all ages and abilities to be able to enjoy the benefits of cycling whether individually, as a group of friends or as a family. Families with a disabled child/adult are able to participate in sessions all together which can be a rarity. The specially adapted bicycles also provide a unique experience for disabled adults and children to experience cycling in a safe, traffic free, environment supported if necessary by a carer or family member. Over the past 18 months Cwm Cycling Rhondda has built a solid customer base and provides regular sessions for customers of varying ages.
Jonathan Edwards from Cwm Cycling Rhondda said, “When Cwm Cycling started back in 2013, the aim was always to provide inclusive cycling opportunities for the community in RCT. We were already in contact with Shelley Jones, the DSW Development Officer for RCT at the time of launch so we were aware of the support on offer from DSW and when insport started, it seemed like the perfect opportunity for us to promote the work we do further and build on what we already had with the support of insport club. Cwm Cycling Rhondda is proud to promote that the team comprises of volunteers and staff who provide customers with a friendly and specialist service. At present Cwm Cycling provides volunteer opportunities for over 25 adults with learning disabilities who are keen and enthusiastic to support a cycling service in the community.”
He continued “Our participation numbers are increasing monthly and it is the only facility of its kind in the RCT area. Following the initiation of insport club, we regularly update our Disability Inclusion Training for staff and volunteers to ensure that our knowledge and understanding of inclusion is kept up to date. This means that the participants get a quality experience of cycling, which could be there first experience of sport in the community. We very much value insport as it ensures that we are providing a safe environment for members of the community to come and enjoy cycling.”
Shelley Jones, Disability Sport Wales Development officer for Rhondda Cynon Taff said “It’s great that Cwm Cycling have been awarded DSW insport club of the month as it recognises all of the ongoing hard work and commitment to inclusion that the staff and volunteers offer on a daily basis. They are one of the most passionate clubs involved in inclusive delivery in RCT and since their launch in 2013 all staff and volunteers have fully engaged with inclusive activity from supporting Disability Sport Wales national insport series events in both RCT and Cardiff and progressing with insport club. I will be working with Cwm Cycling to continue their insport journey and I am looking forward to supporting future insport development.”
To become more inclusive Jonathan from Cwm Cycling has advised other clubs to get involved and contact their Disability Sport Wales development officer because “it is the small changes that will make a huge difference. We are very lucky here at Cwm Cycling with the range of inclusive equipment and the volunteers we have to maintain all of the bikes, but from meeting with our local officer and attending the training we have realised that sometimes it is just the simple things that can make your club inclusive.”
Cwm Cycling Rhondda will be supporting the insport series event in Cardiff on both Friday 8th and
Saturday 9th September at NIAC after being a key club involved in the RCT insport event earlier this year. Jonathan Edwards is looking forward to the future of the club, “moving forward we would like to continue working with DSW and progressing with insport club and improving the standards whilst maintaining the work we currently do. We are hoping that this may include extending our range of equipment on offer so that we can reach a wider audience. Cwm Cycling are extremely proud to have been awarded Disability Sport Wales insport club of the month award! Insport continues to be an inspiration to all our individuals at Cwm Cycling Rhondda and we aim to maintain a partnership with them for many years to come.”
Saturday 9th September at NIAC after being a key club involved in the RCT insport event earlier this year. Jonathan Edwards is looking forward to the future of the club, “moving forward we would like to continue working with DSW and progressing with insport club and improving the standards whilst maintaining the work we currently do. We are hoping that this may include extending our range of equipment on offer so that we can reach a wider audience. Cwm Cycling are extremely proud to have been awarded Disability Sport Wales insport club of the month award! Insport continues to be an inspiration to all our individuals at Cwm Cycling Rhondda and we aim to maintain a partnership with them for many years to come.”
Michelle Daltry, Disability Sport Wales Partnership Manager said “Congratulations to Cwm Cycling on winning the August insport Club of the Month. This dynamic and driven club provide countless opportunities for disabled people their family and friends to enjoy cycling in a safe and inclusive environment and are hugely deserving of this recognition.”
If you would like more information about cwm cycling then visit the DSW website www.disabilitysportwales.com/clubs/cwm-cycling-rhondda/ or email Jonathon.Edwards@rctcbc.gov.uk Alternatively head down to the insport series event on the 8th and 9th of September at the National Indoor Athletics Centre, Cardiff Metropolitan University in Cyncoed from 10am-4pm where you can meet the club and try cycling along with a range of other inclusive sports .
