About Us
Making A Difference
Ways To Give
Apply For A Grant
Professional Advisors
Foundation News
Campaigns |
 |
| Sign up to receive our e-newsletters! |
 |
 . |
The
Gateway Wheelers provide young, disabled people and socially excluded individuals
with the opportunity for personal development through cycling activity. The
club was set up nine years ago by a group of cycling enthusiasts, with the
intention of sharing their love of cycling with those with physical disabilities
and special needs. Since then the club has continued to expand and grow to
meet the demands of an ever-growing group of clients across a wider geographical
area. The club currently has over 240 users.
The young people involved with the group have significant disabilities ranging
from cerebral palsy to mental health and behavioural problems, as such socialising
and communication can be a daunting task for many of these individuals. The
group helps them to overcome these social barriers. Disabled members can use
specially adapted cycles; enabling them to experience the pleasure of cycling
which otherwise would not have been possible. For example the blind and visually
impaired can access the 2-man cycles, which they share with one of the volunteers.
Over the years Gateway Wheelers have received a number of grants to support
various projects. These have included the ’What About Us’ project
which encouraged young people to speak up for themselves and to express their
needs and opinions on issues that affect them, and the ‘Another Spoke
in the Wheel’ project, which trained 10 members of their group in bicycle
maintenance and repair.
Most recently they received £2,000 from the Sport
Relief Fund for the purchase of some more specialist cycle equipment.
One member of the group explained just what these grants have meant to him:
“A big, big, thank you to County Durham Foundation
for giving me the opportunity to prove to other people and myself what I can
do.”
Kevin Pattison
