Redbridge Community Motorcycle Youth Project

The Redbridge Community Motorbike Youth Project is a partnership scheme set up with Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service, Southampton City Council Youth Service, Coxford & District Youth Project and The Link - Windrush Road Youth Project. It has been funded from Outer Shirley Regeneration Board and Southampton West Neighbourhood Partnership and the project received some financial backing from Southampton Rotary Club after winning first prize in a competition.

Redbridge Fire station's old smoke chamber was transformed by station personnel into a modern motorbike workshop. Students aged between 13 and 17 years old are referred onto the course by Coxford & District Youth Project and The Link - Windrush Road Youth Project and will come from Millbrook, Shirley, Lordshill and Redbridge areas of Southampton. The course is run on a Tuesday night for 2 hours and tuition is provided by a trained Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service mechanic.

Opportunities are taken to educate young people in riding consequences, nuisance and associated arson. These messages relate to firefighters' experiences of dealing with these incidents and helps alleviate localised problems benefiting the local communities. They also meet the GB Yamaha Motor X team where they learn about bike safety and safety clothing. Each session includes basic motorbike maintenance and servicing of bikes kindly donated to the project.

When the bikes are finished they are donated to the Kaira Konko Scouting movement in Africa where they are put to good use in remote areas of Soma in Gambia so the good work can be carried on.