Archway Sessions

A typical day at Archway will consist of the following:

We start at 10.00 am with some class room based activity. This will be focused on the accredited London Open College Network (LOCN) courses that we run. Then the young people will spend a few hours in the workshop carrying out practical maintenance and service work on the motor bikes.

Approaching lunch time we will start discussions for the daily ritual of the 'Archway Lunch Club'
The lunch club is an age old tradition, the origins of which are unknown, however we believe it was started by a brave man with a strong constitution. Each day the young people and staff each contribute £1 towards the cost of lunch, the young people then decide what they want to have for lunch, devise a budget and go out shopping with one or two members of staff. When they get back two young people will prepare lunch with some minimal assistance from a member of staff. Then at lunch time we will all sit together and partake of whatever delicacies have been prepared.

Anyone who arrives late for their morning session will have the pleasurable task of washing up after lunch.

In the afternoon the practical work in the workshop will be finished off and the young people in attendance will be responsible for leaving the workshops tidy and safe for the next group to come in.

At Archway we view the motor bikes as a tool to engage young people in something that they have a great deal of enthusiasm for. Once they are here we are able to channel that enthusiasm and help them to learn a variety of skills which will benefit them now and in later life. Young people from this project have gone on to represent Great Britain in International motorcycle events and are actively involved in the management committee of this project.

Nick Plumb a former attendee at the Archway Project competing in the 7,000 mile Paris to Dakar Rally. In 2003 Nick represented Great Britain and was the youngest person ever to complete this grueling course.

We currently run motor cycle sessions six days a week:

* We operate a satelite workshop at the Sidcup Community Centre in conjunction with our Thamesmead workshop.

In addition to the above sessions based at our Thamesmead workshop, we also arrange regular off-road riding trips for the groups who attend the Archway Project. We take the young people to legal, off-road tracks where they are given tuition on how to ride safely and how to control a bike under various conditions. They get great satisfaction from riding a bike that they have helped to service in the workshop.

This is where the real fun begins !!!!

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To see the Archway photo gallery click here: