A group of students from Stockton are tackling the Coast to Coast bike ride in a dual effort to raise money for the school and awareness about cycling safely.

The five Year 11 students from Ian Ramsey School in Green Lane, Stockton on Tees will cycle the 136 mile route from Whitehaven to Sunderland from Friday, July 1 to Sunday, July 3. 
They hope to raise the funds, including £150 donated by local lawyers Thompsons Solicitors, to pay towards capital projects in the school.

They will also be wearing cycle helmets donated by brain injury charity Headway Teesside which has been raising awareness about the dangers of head injury in schools in the area.
Headway Teesside and the Child Brain Injury Trust will be visiting pupils at Ian Ramsey School before the start of the summer holidays to talk about the importance of wearing bike helmets.

Importance of wearing bike helmets

Wearing a cycle helmet can cut the risk of brain injury by half and facial injury by a third according to research in Australia.

David Robinson, Secretary of Headway Teesside and a Governor at the school said: "At Headway we provide support to those affected by brain injury and their families. We see first hand the impact a brain injury can have and whilst not all brain injuries are preventable it makes sense to take protective precautions where you can, including wearing cycling helmets.

"Research has proven that cycle helmets can cut the risk of brain injury by half and through our talks with students in the area we hope we can get this message across to as many young people as possible.

"We wish these students the best of luck in their challenge."

Gareth Lang, aged 16, Head Boy at the school said: "We’ve been training hard for this bike ride and we all expect it to be challenging but rewarding. We’re looking forward to getting started, but not for the big hill at Hartside!"

The students set off on their challenge on Friday, July 1 and hope to arrive back in Sunderland on Sunday, July 3.