Access Sport is delighted to announce that the second of five new community bike tracks to be built in Bristol has opened.

This new track in Hillfields has been built as part of Access Sport’s BMX Legacy Programme, with the support of Bristol City Council, British Cycling, Sport England and the John James Bristol Foundation and follows on from the new track opened in Lawrence Weston in June.

These new facilities are two of the five community cycling tracks that are being built in the heart of five of Bristol’s most deprived communities. Following these two will be new facilities in Hartcliffe & Withywood, South Bristol and Easton.

Alongside the building of each track, Access Sport will also develop new, volunteer led community clubs. Each club will be supplied with a set of specialist BMX equipment, including bikes, helmets, gloves and pads, giving them the ability to offer regular activities every week. The clubs will provide the platform to deliver regular outreach activities using the equipment provided and qualified local coaches to help deliver a variety of sessions to engage local people of different ages and abilities, including;

• Female specific 'BMXercise' sessions
• Disability specific 'Wingz' sessions, utilising BMX bikes, balance bikes and adapted BMX bikes
• After school and open club sessions

Access Sport will actively recruit and up-skill local volunteers to take on the leadership of the new community clubs and train many up to become cycling coaches. The clubs will be affiliated to British Cycling's support network and will be a community resource for many years to come.

Why did Access Sport choose Hillfields?

Hillfields is a deprived community in the north east of Bristol, which is in the top 20% of deprivation nationally. There is limited youth provision in Hillfields, especially for community sporting opportunities and open access community facilities. There is a need for sporting facilities and activities for young people to get involved in, as 41.6% of children in year 6 (10/11 year olds) in this area are overweight or obese. Additionally, up to 41% of children under 16 are from low income families. Having a free, open access BMX track is an excellent way to give the local community the opportunity to try a new sport, learn new bike skills and to undertake a healthy and active lifestyle.

With thanks to the support from our amazing funders, Access Sport was able to develop a unique BMX track which includes both a pump track and a jump track. This was designed and built by the renowned track developers Architrail Velosolutions. The track is inclusive, exciting and accessible for all ages, abilities giving an incredible opportunity to those who live in Hillfields and in Bristol as a whole.

Access Sport is pleased to announce that Hillfields BMX Club will be starting on Saturday 13^th October, 2pm – 4pm.

Cllr Kyle Dudd, Cabinet Member with Responsibility for Sport

“These BMX tracks are great news for Bristol and it is great that we have been able to work with Access Sport to inspire young people to get active as part of this.  Around the country similar pilots of this kind of scheme have proven to be very popular getting children and young people from all backgrounds active and involved in sport in way that is exciting and fun.  With more on the way, I hope that children around the city who may not have had access to sport in the past will have an opportunity to get involved and make the most of these great clubs and facilities.”

Louise Hanson, Chief Executive of the John James Bristol Foundation

“John James Bristol Foundation is delighted to be able to provide match funding to Access Sport to enable this track to be built and to bring the opportunity of BMX to the Hillfields community.”

Thank you to our supporters, the John James Foundation, Sport England, HSBC, British Cycling and Bristol City Council for funding this opportunity for the young people in Hillfields.

For further information about the BMX Legacy Programme in Bristol please contact Lucy Fisher:
[email protected]
0117 941 5829

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