The youth culture of modern Britain has been portrayed in a fairly negative light in recent times. With a struggling economy, riots in major cities across the country and a seemingly dwindling respect for authority and society in general, it’s difficult not to write off the young people of Britain as anti-social, useless wasters. I’m Simon Hope and this is the first of hopefully many articles in which I and a group of other lucky individuals are hoping to address this false view. There are many out there that are using their skills, time and generosity to reach out to their communities and destroy these stereotypes of a disrespectful youth growing up in a Broken Britain. This is the story of one of those people.

Name: Ashley Adams

Age: 20

From Halliwell

Winner of the 2010 Young Person of the Year Award BMX competitor and MIAS Cycle Coach.

Hello Ashley, first of all I’d like to ask you how long you have been riding? When did you get your first bike?

I was about 16 or 17 years old when I bought my first bike and I was in the Town Centre where Bolton Bike Week was on. I went over and started doing a few tricks then was approached by Chris Massey who asked if I wanted to volunteer at High Rollers club at Bolton YMCA (Now at the Castle Hill Centre) Would you say you had a natural talent for BMX biking or did you put in a lot of hard work to reach your level of skill?

(insert video) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9---uleizPs&feature=player_embedded#!

Well I had a bit of natural talent but the main thing was lots of hard work and practice.

So would you say anyone could do it?

Definitely, it takes time and dedication but anyone can do it and they will improve quickly. The sessions are for 10-17 year olds but anyone can have a go.

As talented as you are with your own BMX skills you offer a lot more, can you tell me about your Workshops?

When I did them over the summer, people built a bike from scratch during free sessions and then made art, such as stickers for the bike.

Where would you like to go next with all this?

Keep the workshops going as well as promoting within schools, and also looking into funding options because I have been receiving help with all that stuff from the High Rollers Club.

Can a career be made out of what you are doing?

Yes definitely, I’m currently doing a Level 2 British Cycling award, once qualified I will be able to do training sessions by myself. In the future there will be a lot more opportunities.

And have you been involved with any competitions?

I’ve been to places like Southsea and Leicester and competed about four times.

What was your highest placed finish in any of the competitions?

I came 3rd in the Southsea competition in 2010.

Well done! Where would you like to see yourself in five years time?

Hopefully just keep stuff going, let a lot more people know about it in schools and keep promoting BMX Flatland because a lot of people don’t know about it. Just doing everything in general, coaching, inspiring young people and competing.

If you are interested in indoor bike skills coaching where kids learn tricks and play games then visit the High Rollers Club for 10-14 year olds. Castle Hill Young Peoples Centre

Wednesday evenings 7pm-8:30pm

Costs 30p

Must have a completed parental consent form if you have not attended previously