Harlech School Sends Bikers on their Way

Harlech School Sends Bikers on their Way

A group of school children from Ysgol Tan Y Castell in Harlech have launched a crowd of charity bike riders on their 200 plus mile trip to raise funds for the Cardiff City Community Foundation.

The group who are sponsored by leading education recruitment specialists New Directions were cheered on by enthusiastic pupils who joined a warm-up exercise which set the 15 riders on their first leg of a Harlech to Cardiff (via Aberystwyth and Llanelli).

The Cardiff City Community Foundation which was launched in 2009 aims to use the power of sport and education to change lives. The charity has gathered a group of riders including former Welsh international and Cardiff City FC favourite Scott Young, and education recruitment leader Howard Burge.

Speaking about the charitable drive Howard Burge, National Director for New Directions said ‘Our first day will see us cycle about 60 miles and climb up to 5,000 feet depending on the final route we are given. It’s daunting and the nerves have well and truly set in. However, we must keep reminding ourselves of the great cause we are raising funds for and we must stay mentally strong when the hills hit the hardest.

Our biggest struggle will be the vertical inclines of the Welsh landscape. The challenges for the communities we are working to support are the day-to-day things we take for granted. Basic literacy and numeracy are the cornerstones for anyone’s education journey, but for some pupils there is a real disconnect in a traditional learning environment. The Cardiff City Community Foundation offers young people an alternative way of learning’.

The team of riders are represented by a number of leading sponsors alongside New Directions including bike and accessory specialist Tredz who provided not only the bikes for the ride, but two team members to ensure the group travels safely.

You can follow the progress of the team by searching on the twitter hashtag #menofharlech