A DISABILITY group for people in Ryedale is launching accessible cycling sessions following a donation from a housebuilder.

The Whitby, Scarborough and Ryedale Disability Action Group (DAG) is introducing the new cycling sessions to its members as part of its Befriending Through Sport project.

The £1,000 donation by Persimmon Homes Yorkshire is part of the company’s year-long initiative to support local communities and will enable DAG to make cycling possible for disabled and vulnerable individuals in the area.

Richard Weightman, from Whitby, Scarborough and Ryedale Disability Action Group, said they were delighted with the donation.

“These specially adapted bikes allow users to enjoy cycling in a safe environment as well as providing opportunities to make new friends, which is the real aim of our project,” he said.

“The tester session we ran earlier this year was really popular but we just didn’t have enough funds in our Befriending Through Sport project to officially launch it.

“Thanks to Persimmon we can host a series of cycling sessions for up to 15 individuals and, working with a specialist cycling organisation, we will have a range of tandems, trikes, quad bikes and platform bikes available.

“The bikes are wonderful, giving wheelchair users and other disabled people the chance to experience a type of exercise they might not otherwise be able to try.”

Simon Usher, deputy managing director at Persimmon Homes Yorkshire, said: “As we are currently building in Norton, at our Westfield development, we wanted to make sure that the Community Champions initiative would benefit groups within the area.

“Being able to cycle is something many of us take for granted, so we felt Whitby, Scarborough and Ryedale Disability Action Group really deserved our support. We hope the success of DAG’s accessible cycling will enable the charity to extend its sessions to a wider audience.”

The Persimmon Community Champions initiative is a national programme where charities and groups can apply for funding up to the value of £1,000 to match money they have already raised themselves. Nationwide the company will donate a total of £750,000.