Partnership work through Get Out Get Active (GOGA)
Great work has come off the back of a new partnership with Nottingham City Council (NCC) and British Blind Sport (BBS) developed through GOGA. Here, we take a look into the detail behind this new relationship, how it came about and the impact it is having.
Nottingham City is one of the 18 GOGA localities across the UK, with NCC being the lead organisation and deliverer of this unique project across the city. GOGA supports inactive people across the City to get active and to encourage an ‘active together’ approach where both disabled and non-disabled people take part in activity together. By working alongside a host of local delivery partners Nottingham City are enabling this to happen through many fun and inclusive activities supporting the City’s pledge to become the fastest growing city for disability sport. Councillor Dave Trimble, Portfolio Holder for Leisure and Culture said, “Nottingham has a strong track record as a sporting city and our ambition is to build on this further. Developing our links with partners to deliver inclusive activity (such as GOGA) at leisure centres, parks and community venues across the city is key to this”
Through the GOGA programme and wider local work cycling was chosen to be one of the NCC priority sports due to the building of an iconic facility and huge redevelopment of a local leisure centre- Harvey Hadden Sports Village now hosting a new outdoor cycle track. With this offer across the City cycling has grown significantly over the last few years and continues to do so as part of GOGA. This development and the wider action plan for cycling sparked initial conversations with Tim Reddish CBE, former Paralympic swimmer and Nottingham resident where it identified a gap in the current provision with regards to a fully inclusive offer due to lack of capacity in terms of equipment and fully trained deliverers. Through these discussions it was identified that training was required around inclusion and specific impairment groups such as visual impairment as there were individuals accessing the sessions. Through these conversations BBS was approached for their knowledge and expertise in this area. BBS are the national charity whose work enables blind and partially sighted people to have the same opportunities as sighted people to access and enjoy sport and recreational activities in the UK.
Local delivery partner Ridewise a charity dedicated to supporting the use of greener forms of transport works to help train and educate people about cycling – whether they’re budding novices or experienced riders. Ridewise are currently delivering two very popular programmes for GOGA Nottingham these include Learn 2 Cycle and Cycling for All. Both programmes provide the opportunity for individuals to access good quality bikes and helmets, both free of charge, and qualified instructors to learn how to ride or build their confidence on a bike. These sessions have proved extremely popular across the city as they have provided people with the opportunity to access bikes free of charge and build their confidence in a safe, inclusive environment. Ridewise also deliver a number of other cycling opportunities across Nottingham City including four Community Cycle Centres. These four-community pop up cycle centres run regular free activities, rides, cycle training, bike repair and events between March and October as well as some winter cycling support events through the late autumn and winter times. The Community Cycle Centres provide opportunities for our GOGA participants to continue being active beyond the project.
This relationship identified the need of a Sight Loss Awareness workshop ran by BBS for the nine local cycle leaders from Ridewise on the 29th March 2018 as part of the Cycling for All offer and inclusive activity growth within the GOGA project. The workshop was followed by a practical workshop for cycle leaders to gain hands on experience and confidence to be a ‘Tandem Pilot’ to support participants with a visual impairment and additional needs. We purchased 2 new tandem bikes and had one kindly donated to us from a family in Birmingham, that they used to support their autistic son to gain confidence in cycling. This training will also naturally enhance potential to support cyclists with a learning disability or autism or those with confidence issues, therefore being fully inclusive and encouraging ‘active together’
This established partnership with BBS and local deliverers Ridewise is allowing NCC to continue to develop the inclusive offer for physical activity around the city and support the Councils commitment. The aim of this partnership is to add value to existing cycling provision in the city by providing tandem bikes and trained pilots for existing GOGA Cycling for All sessions, the newly launched Community Cycle Centres across the city and the numerous British Cycling guided rides and events that happen throughout the year. Through this partnership, we are able to ensure that the cycling opportunities across the city are open and accessible to all.
For further information on this project or relationship please contact the GOGA Nottingham coordinator Claudia Russell on 07841 534825 or email Claudia.Russell@nottinghamcity.gov.uk