South Tyneside bike club offers youngsters a quick fix as part of participation drive
South Tyneside bike club, the Temple Raiders, is showing kids how to fix their own ride.
A South Tyneside bike club is seeking inflation – by pumping up the number of youngsters who use its services.
Temple Raiders is encouraging them to drop into the South Shields shop where it is based to learn how to fix their BMXs and other cycles – to get them ride ready.
The group is part of Tyneside Outdoors, a charity which operates a learn and repair outlet at the Nook shopping centre in Prince Edward Road.
Combined, they encourage 11 to 18-year-olds to get expert tuition in how to mend their machines themselves - and then ride them in the great outdoors.
Bosses hope to instil in them the technical skills and social attributes that may open up lasting career opportunities.
Founded three years ago by former youth community worker Gerard New, 57, Tyneside Outdoors also takes its riders to competitions and days out and about.
But it promotes all kinds of outdoor activities, with its team also taking groups to beaches and parks to indulge in non-riding activities, such as frisbee throwing and other good health related fun.
Since opening in 2023, hundreds of young people have benefitted by using the branch’s workshop to mend their bikes, paying only for spare parts.
But Gerard said he hoped the facility would soon see even more users and its outdoors activities engaged with by an increasing number of people.
He added: “Temple Raiders is a ‘youth club on bikes’. It’s BMX racing, mountain bike riding – anything on a bike.
“We do what we call ‘fix it first’ sessions, where young people can bring in their bikes and learn how to repair them themselves.
“We will help and support them, but what is important is that they learn how to do it themselves, they gain the skills to do it.
“The charity itself encourages young people to get out in the outdoors. Being outdoors should be part of their lives.
“It’s by no means all about cycling - we also do other activities in parks and do trips to water.
“As far as Temple Raiders is concerned, around six or seven bikes are brought into the shop to be repaired every week.
“We look to repair but if that’s not possible, we will recycle parts for other bikes, and we also sell refurbished bikes.
“I would like more young people to come here to learn these repair skills, and I am also looking for adult volunteers to help with our work, including mechanics.”
Temple Raiders gets its name in part from its original base location – Temple Park, in South Shields.
It was matched with the 1981 film Raiders of the Lost Ark, due to an archaeological study made of a BMX track that opened at Temple Park in September 1983.
Overall, Tyneside Outdoors encourages young people to participate in fun and enjoyable outdoor activities to assist their personal development - and also operates from two parks in Newcastle.
Its shop is open at various times, six-days-a-week, and its ride and repair drop-in sessions are from 4pm to 6pm on Mondays and Thursdays.
Anyone who would like to join Temple Raiders or support its activities, including financially, can visit www.tynesideoutdoors.org.uk