Kirkholt youngsters get on their bikes

Kirkholt youngsters get on their bikes alongside representatives from Alliance & Leicester

Young people from Rochdale have been given the opportunity to take part in rough mountain bike excursions after they received funding from a leading British building society.

Alliance & Leicester has made a £1000 grant to the Kirkholt Youth committee, which will be combined with money come from the Kirkholt Youth Inclusion Group to buy ten mountain bikes to develop an outdoor education for disadvantaged young people from the Kirkholt estate.

The new project from the Kirkholt Youth Group will get youngsters involved in mountain biking, and in trails across the country to increase their health and fitness levels. The young people involved will also be working towards Duke of Edinburgh awards.

Duncan Limbert of Alliance & Leicester said: “This is exactly the kind of refreshing, interesting project that we are keen to support. We are delighted to see the money that we have raised have such a fantastic impact on young people.”

Nick Massey, chief executive of the Community Foundation said: “The Community Foundation is all about providing a path for businesses to support grass roots voluntary groups that make a real difference to their community. This is a fantastic example of this, with the group’s activities improving the lives of young people in such a simple yet effective manner.”

The Community Foundation is a grant-making, non-profit organisation, which raises money from the private and public sectors, and the funding is channelled down to grass-root community groups in the most disadvantaged areas of Greater Manchester.

In June 2007 the Foundation was awarded a national Charity Award for Effectiveness, highlighting in particular the work undertaken with Councils and Local Authorities across Greater Manchester to release dormant trust funds totalling more that £2million back into the local communities.