Bike Park Bishopstoke (BPB) consists of passionate mountain bikers who work with the Forestry Commission and support from Cycling UK to build and maintain trails and jumps. The park has been totally constructed by volunteers and is free for anyone to access. The aim of the bike park is to create a free to access space, where people of all ages and abilities can go and ride. The park has been officially opened for a year and is preparing to open for another busy summer season, with locals and young people coming to use the park nearly every day.
The project is led by Gary Kingsbury and Keith Dillion, who both have had plenty of experience working with children and young people through youth and social work. Gary has also worked on several cycling projects involving young people through schools and outreach work, while also running National Standard cycle training in schools and leading rides for various organisations.
"Gary and Keith have been extremely tenacious in getting the project up and running, through seeking funding and donations, jumping through legal loopholes with the Forestry Commission and appealing for volunteers to keep up the maintenance of the park."
Thanks to the hard work of Gary, Keith and the army of volunteers who help to improve and maintain the bike park, the local community now has a dedicated space to go mountain biking. This allows young people to have a place where they can engage in positive risk-taking as they learn to manage and understand risk and their own capabilities.
