Well done guys!!!

We had an enjoyable riding session to end a very successful and constructive term. Thank you very much to the young people at the Oakfields Project. Thanks to staff members of Oakfields: Paul, Adam, Steve, Carole and Kim for their support through out the term. Also thanks to Abbey Rider Training for the use of their facility and Artdeans Motorcycles for a discount on parts for our moped.
We are now looking forward to the new year and moving the training on to a higher level with a new workshop and challenging projects.

The finale!

The finale and reward for the effort the team put in was a training session at Abbey Rider Training on the refurbished moped. The weather was grey, windy and wet but the group had high spirits as they received coaching from motorcycle instructor Rob Fox.

The riders listened carefully to Rob's guidance and had a great time manoeuvring around the circuit. Some of the guy's hadn't ridden before so this was a great experience.

Weeks 9 to 12

The bulk of the restoration work was carried out in the next four workshop sessions. The guys carried out important tasks such as replacing piston rings, fitting new gearbox parts and general servicing under guidance from mechanic Rob Fox.

The team wore overalls, gloves and steel toe cap boots in the workshop as any good mechanic would. These guys are just 14 years old so it is important to start them out with a respect for the  health and safety standards that the will find the the work place.

We were all thrilled to hear the engine run for the first time. The group had done a great job and our little bike purred nicely after more than a year in the elements.

Weeks 6 to 8

The next workshop sessions was a combination of getting to know the main components and assessing what work was needed to get our bike back on the road. The guys stripped the machine down and we discussed if all the repairs would be relevant to the value of the moped.

Once the engine had been taken out it was cleaned and brought into the classroom to illustrate how a 'two stroke' engines and automatic gearboxes work. Hands on, videos and computer simulations helped the group understand what goes on inside the engine.

The Wheels Workshop, weeks 1 to 5.

The Wheels Workshop began with an overview of the whole scheme so the group to see what lay ahead. The  group could look forward to theory and practical driver and rider training. Also shown was a moped that the young people would restore and ride in the further sessions.

The presentations used a great deal of visual media and group participation in engage the young people.

The next two sessions were about road safety and our attitude towards the use of speed. We began driver/rider training in discussing the procedure for traffic lights and pedestrian crossings. The third session prepared the group for the forth coming workshop sessions We discussed tools and health and safety issues.

The workshop phase began by introducing the group to our Yamaha BWS 50 moped that had been donated to the project. This little moped had been unused and parked outside for a year. Our first job was to verify it's identity. We discussed the legalities and responsibilities of owning a motor vehicle.