Thanks for taking the time to visit BritsGoneBarmy - London Youth 's page.

For more information on our challenge of cycling 2600 miles across the USA in 30 days visit our website: http://www.britsgonebarmy.com

To donate to London Youth Charity use this page.

London Youth (www.londonyouth.org.uk)

London Youth is a vibrant network of 400 youth organisations across London. They work in every borough across the capital and in two residential centres just outside of London. They are there to support and challenge young people, whatever their background and whoever they are, to reach their full potential.

Two projects that London Youth are working with, which Tom and I thought were great to raise money for, are EASE in Ealing and Generate in Wandsworth. The young people at both clubs have recently developed cycling projects aimed at confidence building, team work, cycling awareness and maintenance skills.

Generate in Wandsworth

Generate run youth clubs for young people with a learning disability, enabling them to socialise with a peer group away from school and home. These are lively clubs offering a range of activity and learning opportunities with the emphasis being on fun and enjoyment. They aim to help provide purpose, develop independence and encourage connections through people, places and activities, that over time increases their confidence, self-esteem and ability to live independently. Since recently starting their cycling programme it has been very well received and has given the young people many new experiences.

The focus has been more on cycling awareness  than on cycling itself as they have very few opportunities to spend quality time cycling in and around London. Generate's long term aim is to develop a hub where young people with learning disabilities can access more challenging cycling opportunities and where access to specialist bikes will give young people the opportunity to benefit from this programme.

EASE in Ealing

Who are EASE? The young people at EASE  recently started a programme of bicycle maintenance. Initially, the idea was to learn the basic skills associated with maintaining their bikes but as many of the young people did not own a bike, the idea developed into a ‘recycling’ programme. This not only gave the young people the opportunity to learn maintenance skills in greater depth, it also gave the young people the chance to take away a roadworthy bike to use for travelling to school and the youth centre. The project was delivered in partnership with Cycle Training UK who ran an accredited maintenance course and supported the young people in converting 16 second-hand bikes into ten perfectly good bikes that the young people had the opportunity to keep. The project was hugely successful and had a really positive impact upon the local community. EASE are now planning to promote further cycling opportunities to young people. Their long-term aim is to equip some of the young people with sufficient knowledge that they can become future mentors and maintenance instructors in their youth club and community.

What donations could buy:

£100 will buy five basic bicycle tool kits including a multi tool, pump and puncture repair kit

£150 will purchase seven track pumps for use on a maintenance projects

£200 will buy two bicycle maintenance work stands for use on maintenance projects

£250 will buy an advanced quality bicycle tool kit for use on maintenance projects

£800 will buy a two-day Bike Fix Maintenance Course for six young people so they can learn how to maintain their own bikes

£900 will buy a disability-friendly trike to enable less-mobile young people to be included

£1800 will fund a Bike Recycling Project for six young people so they can fix and build abandoned or donated bikes (bikes not included)

£2250 will buy a three-day Outreach Maintenance Course for up to ten youth workers so they can manage and teach bike maintenance courses

If you could donate and help these causes that would be fantastic. I was born in Roehampton and went to primary and secondary school in Wandsworth. I have lived in London all my live and love the city. It is truly a fantastic place that offers so much and I am hoping that we can raise some money to help the young Londoners enjoy this city, the world and their life as much as I have.

I have been very lucky with my parents and the schools I have gone to that I have had many opportunities to get the most out of life. My mum worked as a teacher for over 30 years in London helping the younger generation strive to be the best they can be and this charity would mean a lot to her. Over the years the teachers, sports coaches, volunteers in London have inspired me to challenge myself. If we can raise as much money as we can to help some young Londoners reach their full potential that would be fantastic and I know your donation would make a big difference to their lives.

William Taper