“This is exactly why we set up the Trust” – Geraint Thomas’s charity aims to get thousands of kids on bikes

Geraint Thomas, winner of the 2018 Tour de France, has revealed that the charity he set up in the wake of his yellow jersey success has helped get thousands of kids, many of them disabled or from disadvantaged backgrounds, cycling.

.The Ineos Grenadiers star launched his Geraint Thomas Charitable Trust after his 2018 yellow jersey victory, and this week at a fundraising lunch at the London offices of law firm Eversheds gave an update on the initiative.

Da iawn @GowerRiders - what a fantastic project. We’ve been so proud to provide funding so the club can run #cycling sessions for #youngcarers in #Swansea#carer #carers #youngcarer @SwanseaOnline10 pic.twitter.com/RIYToZ9dZX

— Geraint Thomas Cycling Trust (@GTCyclingTrust) November 10, 2023

Projects funded to date by the charity are:

Community Outdoor Group (COG) – which received £3,250 to buy a fleet of new bikes and equipment to deliver cycling sessions to children and young people in East London

Gower Riders – which was handed £2,696 to deliver cycling sessions for young carers in Swansea

Pantside School – which was awarded £2,900 to buy 20 bikes and helmets to improve cycling skills in Caerphilly

Wheels for Wellbeing – which received £2,816 to buy two specialist, adaptive trikes for disabled children in South London

Willows High School – which was granted £2,230 for waterproof clothing so that pupils at the Cardiff school could continue sessions in the winter months.

“This is exactly why we set up the Trust in the first place,” Thomas said. “I was always so lucky that I had a bike and also that I had a track just around the corner from my house.

“But not everyone is that fortunate. That’s why I’m really pleased that we’re able to give a helping hand to these brilliant projects which get children and young people on bikes.

“We have deliberately targeted projects for children and young people who wouldn’t normally have the opportunity to enjoy cycling,” Thomas added.

The trust’s chair, Adrian Coles, said: “We know that there are huge benefits for those who cycle but we also know there are still barriers.

“Not everyone can afford a bike or has the skills to repair one. Not everyone has somewhere to store a bike or know how to ride safely. And there are those who require adaptive bikes which tend to be more expensive.

“We are thrilled to be supporting these projects which tackle inequalities.”

More information on the individual projects funded by Thomas’s charitable foundation can be found here.