Video: Cycle stars launch Tour de France programme for schools

It was launched today with the help of Yorkshire’s cycling stars, brothers Dean and Russell Downing at Kettlethorpe High School in Wakefield.

The pack aims to use the Tour de France coming to Yorkshire to inspire pupils between the ages of seven and 14 through their school work and to promote cycling.

It includes lesson plans for art and media, design and technology, French, geography, history, maths and music.

The free pack is the first initiative as part of the region’s commitment to building a “10 year cycling legacy” in Yorkshire.

It has been launched under a new Cycle Yorkshire banner, and can be downloaded from cycle.yorkshire.com .

It has been developed by York Council which is leading the legacy work being done for the region in connection with the event. Sustrans, the sustainable transport charity has also been involved.

Gary Verity, chief executive of Welcome to Yorkshire, which led the successful bid to get the Tour de France to the region, said: “This first ever education pack to accompany a Tour de France promises to provide students with an engaging and exciting way of supporting their wider learning while tapping into the Tour coming to our region. It

is one key part of a number of initiatives that will make up our legacy programme of Yorkshire’s Grand Départ.”

Kersten England, regional Tour de France legacy lead, said: “This is a great free resource that we’ve developed with Sustrans to get children across Yorkshire - and beyond - involved with the Tour de France as an event, but also cycling - for sport or just for fun.

“Local Authorities and cycling partners across the region are working together to make this a great region for safe cycling, inspiring more people to cycle more often. Key to this vision is ensuring future generations of cyclists understand the benefits of cycling and access

to the skills, facilities and equipment to cycle confidently and safely, wherever they are.”

Coun Dave Merrett, City of York Council’s cabinet member for transport, planning and sustainability, said: “The Cycle Yorkshire legacy will help us to fulfil our aims in York of increasing cycling by 20 per cent by 2016. This will help to reinforce our position as one of the best cities in the country to cycle in for both transport and for leisure. Over the next year I hope that we will start to see more young people cycling whether this is to school or for fun.”

Paul Osborne, Sustrans programme manager in Yorkshire, said: “We’re really excited to help launch this fantastic resource which draws on the excitement of the Tour de France to inspire thousands of children to cycle to school.

“Up and down the country, Sustrans works with over 2000 schools encouraging pupils to be more active by cycling. In Yorkshire, the numbers of pupils cycling regularly more than doubled after just one year of working with Sustrans.”

“With the average primary school journey being just 1.5 miles – the perfect distance to cycle – this resource is a great asset when promoting cycling as a healthy, green and practical travel choice.”

The 101st running of Le Tour will start in Leeds on July 5 with a 190km stage taking the riders to

Harrogate.

Stage two will start from York with the riders tackling a 200km stage with climbs including Holme Moss on the way to Sheffield.