Cycling @ Biston Moss and a Visit for Wallasey Community Fire Station
Healthy cycling sessions organised by Groundwork Merseyside + Monthly visit for Fire Station + to Meet with the MFRS Firefighters & Cyclists!
“Groundwork Merseyside has been presented with a great opportunity of working in partnership with Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service (MFRS) and the World Firefighters Games 08 (WFG08). This partnership has enabled both organisations to benefit. WFG08 have provided Groundwork Merseyside with the funding to purchase Mountain Bikes for free use by the community surrounding Bidston Moss Community Woodland (a former landfill regeneration project).
The surrounding communities are amongst the most deprived in the country and resources such as those provided by WFG08 are exactly the ones needed to help Environmental and Regeneration organisations such as Groundwork Merseyside to engage with the community. On the other hand Groundwork Merseyside has provided WFG08 with a key demographic. It attempting to combat Anti Social behaviour towards the Rescue Service, Groundwork Merseyside works closely with many Youth and Community groups and can provide the gateway the Fire and Rescue service need to get the message across. This will continue to be a beneficial partnership for all involved, especially the surrounding communities.”
Paul Hurst
Community Projects Officer
Groundwork Merseyside
WFG08 (the legacy) & Youth Engagement Project Groundworks Wirral
“Grand title? Not really just a simple connection with a Fire Service with the will to engage with Local Youth Projects Groups. Keen to educate our Youth, in the benefit of a healthy safe lifestyle, the local environment and its effect on them and their communities.
I was invited by Essie Li, WFG Community Engagement Manager, to “come on board” and seek out a different way we can get our communities youth involved in healthy and safe lifestyles.
Also I am a keen cyclist and I knew of Wirral Groundwork’s Bidston Moss Nature reserve with it’s cycle track, had a “flash of inspiration” I mentioned it to Essie, so we met up with Paul Hurst of Wirral Groundwork’s and the rest is history as they say.
The aim is to deliver a message to ensure the future safety of those communities in a way that is fun to learn, to take responsibility in the local environment and its facilities, by being more “Fire Aware” thus hopefully reducing arson and attacks on Firefighters going about their duty, and finally by fully understanding their own role in the community in which they live.
In our partnership with Groundwork’s Wirral: I think we have achieved just that.
To provide that education in a fun filled environment was very simple. By utilizing existing resources we both have, we (MFRS), not only by our excellent facilities, with skilled and dedicated Firefighters at Wallasey Fire Station, we also donated 12 cycles that can be used by local community youth groups at Wirral Groundwork’s working facility at Bidston Moss Nature reserve and the cycling circuit.
The Fire Service provides valuable education regarding the dangers of Fire, the benefits of recognising the concept of a “fire safe” home and fitting Smoke alarms. We don’t just go to Fire’s - we attend Traffic collisions of all types, so alongside learning to be safe in our communities, we are training Fire Service advocates as Cycle instructors to teach safe riding practises in an effort to reduce cycle accidents as well as the benefits of a healthy lifestyle.
A perfect partnership that works I’d say.
Paul Trueman
Chair
MFRS Sports & Social Club