An award-winning smile from a CTC project!

By Victoria Hazael
Thursday, 28 February 2013
Zara smiling on an adapted cycle
A photo of Zara smiling on an adapted cycle at a CTC all-ability session in Sheffield has won a national photography award.

The picture taken by CTC Cycling Development Officer Steve Marsden won the Communities in Focus a photography competition.

The photo is of  Zara who attended the Freedom Disability Cycling Day that Steve organised.

The picture of Zara represents everything CTC have been trying to create through our cycling project. Zara took a little coaxing, having never been on a bike before, but as you can see she enjoyed every second of it."

Steve Marsden
CTC Cycling Development Officer in Sheffield

 

 

Zara really enjoyed the Freedom Disability Cycling Day. It was run by CTC Cycle Champions project in Sheffield, part of the national Travel Actively scheme supported by £20 million from the Big Lottery Fund's Well-being programme.

Sadly, the funding for the outreach work in Sheffield is coming to an end.

Reflecting on the project that has been running since 2008, Steve recalls that "...there was a inspiring moment when a 10-year-old child, who was seeing a therapist for depression and anxiety, painted a picture. It was all coloured black with a small bright yellow triangle in the corner. The therapist asked him what the triangle represented, and he replied 'that's how I feel when I ride my bike. It makes me smile'.

"Through the project, we have managed to work with Sheffield City Council, The PCT, Parks and Countryside, and local cycling organisations, bringing them all together round the table to talk to each other. But without the volunteers and the support of our project host Heeley Development Trust, manager Andy Jackson and his team, all this wouldn't have been possible."

CTC Cycle Champions Sheffield was funded to work with people from hard to reach communities, different ethnic backgrounds and disabilities. Around 5,000 people have benefited, including 1,500 through the disability project that Zara is enjoying in the photo. 

Steve Marsden's work includes mental health cycling, visually impaired tandem rides, introducing Bikability into special schools, and Asian woman's cycling groups.

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