Created in 2022 by Cycling Citizens MK, an alliance of diverse business and community organisations, Bikeability Olympics set out to encourage 9-11-year-olds to cycle more after completing their Bikeability Level 2 training.
What’s happened so far
- Final at Sports Central in July 2022
- Final at Sports Central in July 2023
- Final at Middleton Hall in July 2024
How it works
Over three after-school heats (normally 3.30-6pm), school teams of five pupils from up to 27 primary schools compete to qualify for the final and win medals. Each contestant takes part in a carousel of five contests, each 20 minutes long including changeover. The contests are: Obstacle Course, Pump Relay, Slow Race, Bike Detectives and Road Ride.
Bikeability Olympics is co-ordinated as an optional add-on to Bikeability Training delivered by the local authority, which employs indirectly a Bikeability Olympics Organiser to undertake the following activities with stakeholders:
| Schools and parents | Engage up to 27 schools (9 per heat for a maximum total of 45 contestants per heat) and/or parents with marketing material and an online registration template |
| Bikeability instructors | Organise Bikeability instructors to deliver each Olympics contest, including one group planning meeting one week before each event (3 heats plus final) |
| Volunteers | Recruit and manage volunteers to support instructors delivering contsts |
| Sponsoring partner | Negotiate sponsorship of the Olympics |
| Venue host | Recruit three hosts, one for each heat, ideally located in different parts of the city/area for equal access, plus a centrally-located host for the final |
| Media | Produce media outputs including press releases to print and broadcast news agencies |
Feedback from participants
Support
For support in setting up a Bikeability Olympics in your area, contact Organiser Tom Bulman at cyclingmk@citizensuk.org, tel 07962 838685.