To celebrate the AJ Bell Women’s Tour’s return in October, Active Suffolk have partnered with Suffolk County Council to invite local primary schools to participate in the Women’s Tour School Challenge.
Following the completion of the challenge, three lucky primary schools will win a day of cycle coaching, provided by Bike Smart and delivered by former National BMX Champion and British Cycling Coach John Stockwell.
Coinciding with Bike to School week which runs from the 27 September to 1 October, pupils from primary schools across the county will be challenged with logging the time they spend cycling or scooting, with the intention of travelling the equivalent journey of the final stage of the AJ Bell Women’s Tour which will take the riders from Haverhill to Felixstowe on Saturday 9 October.
All primary schools across the county are invited to sign up to participate in the challenge before Thursday 23 September, where they will then be sent challenge posters which will allow the children to log the minutes they have spent cycling or scooting over one week.
After the week-long challenge, schools will be asked to submit their posters to Active Suffolk where three lucky schools will then be randomly selected to win a day with John Stockwell who will deliver a range of fun and inclusive cycle coaching sessions for the children.
If you work in a local primary school, request your challenge pack today at activesuffolk.cresign.co.uk before Thursday 23 September.
Building on the momentum from the challenge, families across the county will also be encouraged to attend the Women’s Tour event on Saturday 9 October as the riders complete stage six of their journey through from Haverhill to Felixstowe. Partners across the county will be offering local people the chance to safely watch the race and take part in a number of free activities at the final stage in Felixstowe.
Cllr Andrew Reid, Cabinet Member for Public Health, Communities and Public Protection, said: “The Women’s Tour Schools Challenge is a fantastic opportunity for pupils and teachers to get actively involved in the AJ Bell Women’s Tour in the build up to the race on Saturday 9 October and I would encourage them to sign up straight away.
“Cycling has so many benefits for the environment and our health and I very much hope that the school challenge will help inspire more young people to get out on their bikes and get more active.”
Shan Bendall, Project Officer at Active Suffolk said: “We are really excited for the AJ Bell Women’s Tour to complete in Suffolk, and we hope that this and the schools challenge will help to inspire children and families to consider cycling as a way to be more active.
“Cycling is a fantastic way to get active as a way of travel or just for the fun and freedom it brings. As well as helping children along the way to their 60 active minutes a day, cycling improves fitness, boosts positive mental attitude and teachers report higher levels of alertness in children who have cycled to school.
“Through the creation of a fun and inclusive challenges like this one, we hope to support many more young people to be active and excel.”