ASDA Promotes Pedal Power with One & All
Members of the One & All Cycling & Triathlon Club were out in force last weekend promoting the positive aspects of cycling to the community to raise funds for more coaching and ride guides for their club. When the club started, as an acorn of an “idea” of three of its founding members - becoming an organization with over 200 members – its popularity and the demand for access by youngsters could not have been predicted. For that reason, members were only too pleased to shout about cycling on a busy Saturday at ASDA Penryn, in order to raise extra funds to pay for the training of more coaches and ride guides for the junior members of the club.
As Fiona Telfer-Brunton, member of One & All committee and level 3 cycling coach who was recently honoured by British Cycling for her voluntary efforts in coaching in the South West explains “One and All is as it says – a club for One and All. Some cycling clubs are quite elitist and you almost have to prove yourself before you are accepted. At One & All you can turn up on a Sunday and there will be a ride suitable for your ability – from the very beginner to the fittest elite riders. What we could not have foreseen as part of our growth is the demand that has arisen for support for youngsters. We are very lucky to have access to a “closed circuit” which is great to take out inexperienced riders of all ages as well as very young riders, who are too young to join the main road rides or mountain bike rides. What the club is short of now however, are trained coaches so that the weight of expectation can be shared and we can cater for the growing demand to teach bike skills and safety to riders of all ages – or at least from around 6 years old.
“As a club we are very lucky to have a real talent pool of young riders who have proved themselves – we have a 12 year old National Champion, James Trott who with 2 other members of the club aged15 and under have again qualified this year for the national championships in September. This is great for the club and a real inspiration for the members, but it is not what the club is all about. We want to ensure that no matter what your aim in cycling – to get a little fitter, to have a fun ride each Sunday with people of similar ability, to grow your social life with like minded people, to race a little or race a lot and aim to become professional or a world class athlete – One & All will back you all the way. But we need more trained coaches in order to meet the current demand and ASDA were brilliant to allow us to collect at their store on a very busy Saturday.”
Brian Milstead, Chairman of the committee of One & All said “I would like to thank ASDA on behalf of all the members of One and All and our committee for giving us this brilliant fund-raising opportunity. Cycling is such a brilliant activity that brings people together and we are so lucky in this part of the world to have some of the most beautiful countryside at our fingertips – it’s always easier to push yourself a little harder when the sun is shining and the view is brilliant. ASDA understands our aim of extending open arms to people of all abilities from whatever social background. We want to offer facilities to people no matter what their ability or financial situation and in order to achieve this and to ensure that we can meet demand, this sort of fundraising activity is essential.”
ASDA Penryn’s Manager Steve Smith said “We are delighted to support a club like One & All that has a real “open door” policy for any member of the community to improve their health and wellbeing by taking up cycling no matter what their social circumstances. More coaching staff is a very practical and honourable aim for the club and we were only too happy to support this worthwhile effort”.
The club raised over £500 which will pay to train two more coaches for One and All and help to develop the junior section of the club. |
