Safeguarding.

Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility, and Farcycles is committed to making sure that our rides, training sessions, volunteering opportunities and other activities are as safe, welcoming and inclusive as possible.

This is especially important where children, young people or adults at risk are involved. Our Farcycles Welfare and Safeguarding Policy sets out the standards we expect, the responsibilities of our volunteers and ride hosts, and what to do if you ever have a concern about someone’s welfare or the way an activity is being run.

We particularly encourage anyone who leads rides, teaches cycling skills, supports young people or volunteers alongside children to familiarise themselves with the policy.

Our Safeguarding and Welfare Officer is David Williamson, one of Farcycles’ founding members and a Director of the charity. David is the first point of contact for safeguarding concerns and is available to offer advice if you are unsure about anything.

If you have any concern about the welfare of a child, young person or adult at risk, or simply feel that something does not seem right, please contact David. You do not need to be certain that something is wrong before raising a concern.

Young Riders on Farcycles Weekly Rides

Farcycles welcomes young people who have the experience, fitness and cycling skills needed to participate safely in our weekly rides.Our weekly rides are recreational group rides rather than coaching or childcare sessions, so we have some additional arrangements for riders under 18.Full details can be found in our Farcycles Welfare and Safeguarding Policy.

Before joining a ride

All riders under 18 must have a current Farcycles Parental Consent Form, which remains valid for 12 months.

A parent or guardian must also request permission for each ride, normally at least 72 hours in advance, either by:

Please tell us the young rider’s name and age, which ride they would like to join and who will accompany them, where applicable.Participation is confirmed only when Farcycles has agreed the arrangements.

Riders under 16

Riders under 16 must normally be accompanied throughout the ride by a responsible adult arranged by their parent or guardian.

This may be a parent or guardian, relative, family friend, sports club coach or another suitable adult who has agreed to accompany them.

The accompanying adult must be aged 18 or over and is responsible for remaining with and supporting the young rider throughout the ride.

A Farcycles ride host, volunteer or other participant must not be nominated as the accompanying adult unless they have agreed beforehand and the arrangement has been confirmed by Farcycles.

Wednesday rides

Wednesday rides are informal group rides and do not have a formally designated Farcycles Ride Host.All riders under 16 must therefore bring their own responsible accompanying adult on Wednesday rides.

Farcycles cannot provide an accompanying adult for an otherwise unaccompanied under-16 rider on a Wednesday ride.

Saturday rides

Saturday rides normally have a designated volunteer Ride Host, but the host’s responsibility is to manage the group as a whole rather than provide individual supervision for a young rider.Parents and guardians should therefore make every reasonable effort to arrange an accompanying adult for riders under 16.In exceptional circumstances, Farcycles may agree in advance that a named and suitable Farcycles volunteer will accompany a young rider. This is not guaranteed and must be expressly agreed before the ride.

Riders aged 16 and 17

A 16- or 17-year-old may be permitted to ride without an accompanying adult where:

  • we have a current Parental Consent Form

  • permission has been requested in advance

  • the rider has sufficient experience, fitness and road awareness

  • they are reasonably self-sufficient; and

  • Farcycles considers the proposed ride suitable.

We may still require an accompanying adult where the route, conditions, group or rider’s experience make this appropriate.

Fitness and preparation

Young riders must be capable of completing the advertised distance and elevation at an appropriate group pace.Our weekly rides will normally have one planned rest stop, usually around halfway. Parents and guardians should only request a ride where they are satisfied that the young rider has the fitness and stamina to complete it on this basis.Weekly rides cannot be individually paced or unreasonably delayed because one rider is unable to continue.Young riders should arrive with:a safe and roadworthy bicycle;a correctly fitted cycle helmet;suitable clothing;sufficient food and drink;any medication they require;basic puncture-repair equipment; anda charged mobile phone where appropriate.The Ride Host may refuse or withdraw participation where they reasonably consider that the rider, bicycle, accompaniment arrangements, route or conditions make participation unsuitable or unsafe.

Farcycles Teaching Sessions and Guided Rides

Different arrangements apply to Farcycles cycle-training sessions and guided rides involving children.For these activities, we require a Cycle Training Consent Form for Under-18s, completed by the child’s parent or guardian before the session. For further information about how Farcycles safeguards children and adults at risk, please see our Farcycles Welfare and Safeguarding Policy.