NEYDL-Annual-Rep-2023.indd

‘I feel so good out on the bike. It feels supportive.’ (Young Dad) ‘Thanks for today. It was good to be out with just me and my daughter and to meet other people.’ (Young Dad) 15 North East Young Lads & Dads | ANNUAL REPORT 2023 WHEELIE GOOD DADS By Nathan Noble Over the past 12 months, myself and a team of 4 Community Cycling Group Leaders (also young dads) have planned and delivered 32 cycling excursions to 29 young dads, in addition to 4 cycling excursions for families, involving 6 children aged 1, 2, 3 and 7 years. The dads have really valued this project, as the following feedback shows: ‘I feel so good out on the bike. It feels supportive.’ ‘Getting out on the bikes helps me to reflect and think.’ ‘I’m going to places I’ve never been before, and I’ve lived here all my life.’ Myself and the Community Cycling Group Leaders have also established a regular safety inspection and maintenance programme which includes home visits to young dads benefitting from our long-term bike loan scheme which includes access to cycle helmets, locks, pumps, and a puncture repair kit. The bike loan scheme is currently supporting 12 young dads living in the 10% most deprived areas of Gateshead, Sunderland, Durham, and Middlesbrough to get to work, attend training, access regular volunteering opportunities, visit and maintain contact with non-resident children and stay in touch with family and friends. The scheme is a huge hit with young dads as the following feedback demonstrates: ‘Being able to use a new bike is so good. I’ve only ever had rubbish bikes to go out on and it put me off going out.’ ‘Having a bike to get to my training course (forklift truck driving) has helped me so much. I used to have to get 3 buses to get there which used to take me an hour. Now it just takes me 20 minutes. And the money I’ve saved on bus fares has really helped too.’ In addition to gaining new skills and expertise in bike maintenance, I’ve also supported our Community Cycling Group Leaders to develop their skills as peer mentors and supporters (including completion of safeguarding training, First Aid at Work, Paediatric First Aid and Level 3 Mental Health First Aid).  Alongside the cycling related activities, I’ve also planned and co-facilitated ‘Stay and Play’ sessions at the BALTIC attended by 8 families on a regular basis, plus family outings to Santa’s Grotto in December 2022 (attended by 16 young parents and 14 children aged 6 months to 7 years) and more recently Tynemouth Aquarium (attended by 14 young dads, 12 partners and 16 children aged 3 months to 7 years). For some young parents, these events represented the first time they had met other young parents as evidenced by the following feedback: ‘I’m so glad we came. Meeting other Mams and Dads our age is so cool. Thank you for inviting us.’ As part of our close working relationships with our funder Warburtons, young dads supported by NEYDL have made regular visits to the Warburtons bakery in Newburn, including attendance in a skills day delivered by Warburton’s HR staff which enabled the lads to practice and refine their interview skills and update their CV’s. Finally, I’ve been busy supporting 6 of our most committed cyclists, all of whom are young dads to prepare for the Great North Bike Ride - a 60-mile day ride from Seahouses to Tynemouth due to take place on Sunday 27th August 2023. At the time of publication, I’m pleased to report that young dads Jordan and Jordan completed the mammoth and rain-soaked course in an admirable 4 hours and 35 minutes, alongside myself and staff members Doug and Kev. A tremendous achievement!