Accesss Sport - transforming lives through sport

• PRO-ACTIVE London Project of the Year 2012
• London Youth Games Community Partner of the Year
• Waltham Forest Club of the Year
• Waltham Forest Coach of the Year
• Nominated Hackney Club of the Year

What is the BMX Legacy Project?

Access Sport’s BMX Legacy Project was launched in February 2011 and has created five new model BMX clubs and built five new BMX tracks in the Olympic host boroughs. These new clubs will feed into the Olympic BMX track that is due to open to the public in early 2014.  Access Sport has used its unique model of club development to work intensively over two years to develop each club into a sustainable, ‘new model’ community sports club. The project has been delivered with the support of the Greater London Authority, British Cycling, Lee Valley Regional Park Authority and five Olympic host boroughs (Greenwich, Hackney, Newham, Tower Hamlets and Waltham Forest).

What is the need for this project?

When construction of the multi-million pound BMX facility began at the Olympic Park in Stratford there was not a single BMX club or track in any of the 5 host boroughs. BMX is one of the fastest growing sports in the UK, and following the interest generated by the London 2012 Olympics it is getting more popular.  BMX can provide a unique tool to engage disadvantaged young people in cycling that can lead to a lifelong commitment to sport, recreation and travel. Sustainable sports clubs have an exceptional ability to act as a hub for the communities in which they operate – forging links between local organisations such as schools and youth services with grass-roots sport.

Where are we now?

Over the first two years of the BMX Legacy Project Access Sport has worked with the 5 Olympic host boroughs of Greenwich, Hackney, Newham, Tower Hamlets and Waltham Forest to create:

• 5 ‘New Model Clubs’ established
• 5 new BMX tracks built
• Over 4200 people engaged in BMX in less than 2 years
• 205 new regular participants
• 380 regular outreach participants e.g. schools
• 1166 young people have been engaged at the clubs
• 31 new coaches trained
• 160 volunteers engaged
• London BMX Forum – a democratic voice for local volunteers
• Worldwide media attention including TV in Japan, Brazil & Norway
• New competition structures created, including:
  • BMX in the London Youth Games for first time ever & becoming a point-scoring sport in 2013
  • First London BMX time-trail league
• Corporate organisation support
  • GlaxoSmithKline, Barclaycard, adidas, Chain Reaction Cycles

How can you get involved?

Access Sport is always looking for people that want to get involved in our award-winning project. Whether that is helping one of the club’s with a website, volunteering at the sessions or being paid as a qualified BMX coach or bike maintenance tutor there is a place for everyone and we’d love to hear from you.
Please call 0207 993 9883 or email bmx@accesssport.org.uk if you’d like to find out more

The clubs

For further information about the BMX Legacy Project contact Joe McTague on 0207 993 9883 or bmx@accesssport.org.uk