Businessman backs bike lessons

A KIND-HEARTED businesseman has put his hand in his pocket to help youngsters at one school learn to ride a bike.

Rotherham Borough Council currently grants funding for 36 pupils to take part in the Bikeability Cycle Training Course at Sitwell Junior School.

But with the course over subscribed by 14 youngsters, the school was faced with picking names from a hat to decide who got the spots.

Parent, Mark Walker, heard about the school's plight and offered to step in and sponsor the children who did not get a place.

Carrie Sinclair, deputy headteacher at the school, said: "Mr Walker, who runs Walker Cutting, very kindly offered to sponsor those 14 children who did not get funding. 

“We are very grateful for his very kind offer and considerable generosity in enabling all the year six children who wanted to access cycle training to be able to do so.

“Especially as his own son, Jacob, was lucky enough to be drawn from the hat.”