Mowden Park players Jake Henry and Jamie Barnard kicked off the club’s recent partnership with local brain injury charity, Headway Darlington and District, by joining brain injury survivors and their families for a day of cycling at the club’s iconic Northern Echo Arena on Neasham Road.

Following a series of successful exercise sessions with the charity, The Gateway Wheelers, a local organisation that encourages people with disabilities to get active, provided a range of specially adapted bikes for the occasion.

During the day, Jake and Jamie demonstrated their teamwork skills by taking time out from training to try their hand at adaptive cycling on a tandem-bike alongside Headway members who were enjoying the chance to exercise at the Northern Echo Arena.

Anne Rose, Community Manager at Mowden Park said “Headway Darlington and District is a fantastic charity that the club is delighted to be associated with. The rehabilitation work they undertake is a vital community based support service for both those affected by head injury and their respective families.’’

‘’The Gateway Wheelers is another great example of their work in action and it gets all parties active. Our Mowden Park players thoroughly enjoyed themselves.’’

“Returning to any physical activity while recovering from a brain injury can be very daunting” said Nicola Hughes, Chair of Headway Darlington and District.

“A number of our service users struggle with balance and mobility problems following their brain injuries, but our relationship with the Gateway Wheelers enables Headway members to enjoy cycling regardless of their individual challenges.

“It was hugely rewarding to see the Mowden players getting stuck in with adaptive cycling to show their support and to experience first-hand the obstacles many of our members face after brain injury. The number of local families seeking our support and the services we can offer them has significantly risen since we joined the Mowden family and we look forward to continuing this valued partnership.”

Headway Darlington and District also plans to develop its own ‘Get Fit Club’, which will be run by the charity and feature cycling as a core part of the project.