The Trustees are honoured to make the 2021 Award to Mandy Parker in recognition of her tireless work in promoting children’s and youth’s cycling.
Mandy discovered cycling in 2004 thanks to her son Joe, then aged 6, when she helped out at his after school bike club. When he then joined East Bradford CC and began training and racing at the Richard Dunn Centre she became increasingly involved in organisation, supervision and skills training. At that time the Centre was unique in West Yorkshire in providing a safe off-road facility for young riders to develop their bike skills and passion for all things cycling. Although it has now closed Mandy has been at the forefront of developing other facilities and activities, both in Bradford and throughout Yorkshire.
Mandy has become a qualified and very active coach, specialising in beginners and young riders across all disciplines. She has encouraged a team of mainly parents to also become involved in the sport and she has introduced hundreds of children to cycling, some who have since gone on to become successful national and international riders.
In addition to her work with East Bradford CC Mandy is also secretary of the West Riding Track League, being a driving force in providing racing for children in a safe environment, an official of the White Rose Youth League and serves on the committees of the Yorkshire Cyclo Cross Association and British Cycling Yorkshire. She also serves as national secretary of the British Schools Cycling Association.
Mandy has a heavy voluntary workload but has difficulties due to contracting multiple sclerosis; however she does not let this impede her and is forever positive.
In 2017 Mandy was named as BBC Yorkshire’s ‘Unsung Sporting Hero’ and in 2019 one of Cycling UK’s ‘100 Women in Cycling’ for the incredible impact she has had on young cyclists as a regional and national cycling coach. She has rendered outstanding service to the furtherance of cycling in Yorkshire and is thereby a most worthy recipient of this Award.