We met Ona when he started coming to the Saturday football and Youth Club sessions at 2InSpire.

Some of the young people showed an interest in group BMX sessions at the BMX London Track at Burgess Park, where they could train and get their accreditation that would allow them to participate in free ‘Rock Up and Ride’ sessions held at the track on a weekly basis.

Ona took part in all the sessions the Monday evening sessions that we booked but was unable to obtain his accreditation as the coaches said that he was too unsteady on the bike. We spoke to him and told him that he needs to practice balancing on his bike during the week so that he would be better the following week. He told us that he couldn’t practice, as he didn’t have a bike, so the only time he could ride a bike was in the sessions on the weekly sessions.

We recommended that he signed up for the Build-a-Bike sessions with Community Cycleworks at Burgess Park, which he did. He was accepted onto the workshop and spent 2 weeks building a bike from scratch; cleaning the frame and fitting it with all the parts. He then practiced riding and balancing and returned to the BMX track and managed to get his accreditation. He now attends BMX sessions on a regular basis.