A number of Suffolk schools will show their support for the cyclists competing in this year’s Tour of Britain race happening in the autumn.
From cycle awareness days, road safety sessions, bike engineering and arts and craft – the event is seen as the perfect opportunity for the schools along the route to get involved.
The sixth stage of the Tour of Britain, which will run from September 3 to 10, is being hosted by the county on Friday, September 8, and many schools in both east and west Suffolk are already planning how they can show their support.
Competitors in the tour will make their way from Newmarket to Aldeburgh as part of one of the biggest sporting events on the cycling calendar.
Not only will the stage take the cyclists past 50 Suffolk schools, but also through historic and picturesque towns and villages, including Eye, Stradbroke, Dennington, Framlingham, Wickham Market, Charsfield, Otley, Woodbridge, Snape, Saxmundham, Leiston and Aldeburgh.
Helen Picton, headteacher at Sir Robert Hitcham’s Primary in Framlingham, said: ”We will line the route with all 350 of our pupils and our 40-plus staff to cheer the cyclists on. The school will include a large element of teaching and learning around cycling and its health and emotional wellbeing benefits.”
Roisin Wiseman, head at Wilby Primary, said: “We will definitely be taking advantage of the event; we may even hold a big week where we learn about how bikes work, bike safety and that kind of thing.”
James Ratcliffe, headteacher at Aldeburgh Primary, said: “As the tour is finishing in Aldeburgh, and as a keen cyclist myself, we will definitely do something to show our support and celebrate the event.”
Aldeburgh primary is also planning a ‘Bike-abilty’ event for pupils in years five and six to bring in their bikes and complete a three-day course of bike awareness and road safety.
Snape Community Primary School and Eyke Church of England Primary school both made flags during previous Tour of Britain events for the children to wave and cheer as the cyclists rode past; both schools are hoping to do the same this year.
Tour sponsors, OVO Energy, said they were “very keen” to engage and get involved with schools and pupils along the route.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here