DO YOU QUALIFY !!!!!!!!!!!

ARE YOU BORED, DO YOU WANT TO MAKE NEW FRIENDS AND ARE YOU INTERESTED IN MAINTAINING AND RIDING MOTO-X BIKES ?

THEN COME ALONG AND SEE WHAT WE DO !!!!!!!!

THE PROJECT WAS SET UP IN 1996 TO OFFER YOUNG PEOPLE IN THE NORTH WATFORD AREA AN EXCITING, CRIME PREVENTION BASED OUTLET FOR THEIR ENERGIES. ALL MEMBERS ARE CONTRACTED TO STAY 'CRIME-FREE' OR FACE EXPULSION.

BASED AT FRANCIS COMBE SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY COLLEGE, THE CLUB CONSISTS OF A WORKSHOP, CANTEEN AND A STORAGE FACILITY (FORMERLY SWIMMING POOL CHANGING ROOMS) CONVERTED FOR OUR PURPOSES BY THE MEMBERS (11-17YRS) AND VOLUNTEER HELPERS.

THE PROJECT IS VERY POPULAR WITH A STRONG MEMBERSHIP BASE OF 25 WITH A WAITING LIST OF ABOUT 30 PROSPECTIVE MEMBERS. SUBS ARE KEPT TO A MINIMUM (CURRENTLY £5.00 PER FORTNIGHT) TO MAKE THE CLUB AFFORDABLE TO ALL. WE SUPPLY BIKES AND ALL SAFETY EQUIPMENT. WE ARE FORTUNATE TO HAVE A VERY LARGE PRACTICE TRACK ON THE SCHOOL FIELD, WHICH IS IDEAL FOR SAFE TUITION OF MOTOCROSS RIDING. HERTFORDSHIRE CONSTABULARY HAS DONATED A VAN TO THE CLUB, WHICH ALLOWS THE MORE EXPERIENCED RIDERS TO ENJOY DAYS OUT AT OTHER MOTO-X TRACKS.

OUR TRANSPORT

WHO BENEFITS AND IN WHAT WAYS ?

THERE WAS A LONG HISTORY OF NUISANCE MOTORCYCLE RELATED INCIDENTS PRIOR TO THE CLUB BEING SET UP. THERE WAS CLEARLY AN INTEREST IN MOTORBIKES AMONG THE YOUTH OF THE AREA. HOWEVER, THEIR ONLY ACCESS TO THE SPORT WAS OLD AND SOMETIMES STOLEN BIKES WHICH WERE RIDDEN AT ALL HOURS OF THE DAY AND NIGHT, CAUSING MUCH ANNOYANCE TO LOCAL RESIDENTS. THE YOUTHS WERE ALSO IN DANGER OF INJURY BY NOT WEARING ANY PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT. SINCE WE STARTED THE CLUB, BOTH THE YOUTHS AND RESIDENTS HAVE SEEN THE BENEFIT OF HAVING A PROPER CLUB RUN WITHIN STRICT TIME RESTRAINTS. INCIDENCES OF THEFT OF MOTORCYCLES IN THE AREA HAVE DROPPED ALSO.

WHAT HAS BEEN ACHIEVED ?

THE PROJECT HAS WITHOUT DOUBT PREVENTED MANY YOUNG PEOPLE BECOMING INVOLVED IN CRIME. SOME MEMBERS HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN CRIME BEFORE JOINING, BUT HAVE STAYED 'CRIME-FREE' EVER SINCE AND SOME THAT PREVIOUSLY HAD VERY NEGATIVE ATTITUDES TOWARDS AUTHORITY NOW REALIZE THE POLICE AND OTHER AGENCIES ARE THERE TO HELP AND ARE MERELY CARRING OUT THEIR DUTIES. A CLICHE, BUT BARRIERS HAVE DEFINITELY BEEN BROKEN DOWN AS A RESULT OF THE PROJECT. WE REGULARLY TAKE ON MEMBERS REFERRED FROM OTHER AGENCIES SUCH AS YOTS AND FRANCIS COMBE MILLSTREAM STUDENTS. ONE OF OUR YOUNG MEMBERS RECENTLY EARNED AN ACHIEVEMENT AWARD PRESENTED BY WATFORD MAYOR DOROTHY THORNHILL, FOR HIS INVOLVEMENT IN THE PROJECT.

WHAT IS SO SPECIAL ABOUT THE PROJECT ?

THE PROJECT HAS PROVED OF VALUE FOR THE WHOLE COMMUNITY. IT IS WELL THOUGHT OF BY MANY, IS AFFORDABLE TO ALL AND IMPROVES THE SKILLS (SOCIAL AND MANUAL) OF MANY YOUNG PEOPLE IN THE AREA. OUR VALUE HAS BEEN RECOGNIZED BY THE HIGH SHERIFF OF HERTFORDSHIRE WHO VISITED THE PROJECT RECENTLY AND WE WERE AWARDED 3RD PLACE (OUT OF 18 PROJECTS) IN THE COUNTYWIDE CRIMEBEAT AWARDS 2003