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Volunteers ‘get on their bikes' for Daisy Chain

Last weekend, four committed mountain bike volunteers signed up with the Tony Blair Sports Foundation to help provide support for children with autism on Teesside. Nathan Money, Gabrielle Finn, David Scordino and Guy Stockdale have all taken a course in Mountain Bike Leadership that was provided by The Tony Blair Sports Foundation, and they will use their newly gained qualifications to volunteer with Daisy Chain in Stockton to facilitate more cycling activities with children based at the charity. 

The Foundation, which works across six sports, pays for individuals to gain coaching qualifications provided that they agree to use their new skills to help more young people get involved in sporting activities. Once qualified, the volunteers are placed with sports clubs or community organisations and on this occasion the Tony Blair Sports Foundation have teamed up with Daisy Chain to help more children have access to mountain biking activities. 

Matt Simpson, Project Manager at Daisy Chain said:

“We are really grateful of the support that the Tony Blair Sports Foundation has given to Daisy Chain. They are helping us develop our volunteers, providing them with the skills that they need to make a difference to the lives of children with autism by enabling us to put on more sports activities. We have a great partnership now and hope that our two charities can work together to do more for the children we support.” 

Tony Blair said: 

“Recruiting volunteers who want to get more involved with sport and help out in the community is central to our success. It’s great when we find worthwhile organisations in the community like Daisy Chain that will really benefit from the work that we do. This is another example of where we are continually making a difference by helping more young people participate in sporting activities. The volunteers should be congratulated on gaining their new qualifications and it’s great that Daisy Chain is going to benefit from their skills. We wish them well.” 

David Scordino from Yarm said: 

“We started the course on Friday evening and over the weekend we learned all the key aspects of mountain bike leadership necessary to help take out groups of children on activities. The course was really hard work but I am glad that I did it. I now have a qualification that the Tony Blair Sports Foundation has helped pay for and it will allow me to work with Daisy Chain and the children there. I am really looking forward to it. This is such a great way to get qualified, volunteer but have fun all at the same time. I think others should sign up with the Tony Blair Sports Foundation, its really worthwhile!”