This special event marked the beginning of an exciting new initiative aimed at encouraging young children to develop their balance and coordination skills.

Our children were invited to join the event, which featured a ribbon-cutting ceremony, balance bike training and a fun library craft session.

The firm, principal contractor for the building of six new railway stations for the Northumberland Line, has funded a fleet of balance bikes available to lend from Newbiggin, Bedlington and Ashington libraries.

This community initiative aims to inspire future cyclists while supporting the health, wellbeing and connectivity objectives of the Northumberland Line project.

The initiative is designed to make cycling fun and accessible for young children by introducing them to safe cycling practices and journey planning.

It encourages kids to embrace cycling for health, fitness, and enjoyment - also promoting cycling as a convenient option for short trips, such as to school, the shops or social events, while inspiring lifelong habits that support sustainable transport and reduce reliance on cars.

Schools can book the bikes free of charge in clusters of 10, allowing groups of young children to participate in fun and educational cycling sessions. The initiative includes a balance bike delivery guide with session ideas, sustainable transport information, road safety tips and resources on library services.

It was a morning full of excitement and learning for the children, who had a fantastic time trying out the bikes.

Finley, four, said: “I had fun. I was really good on the bikes and the lady told me how to do it. I was going so fast. I was going ZOOOOM!”

Rada, five, added: “I like my train I made with my name on it. It's so many colours.”

Louise Elliott, Assistant Head of Central Primary School, said: “Thank you for such a wonderful event today. What an incredible event for our children to be involved in! They have returned to school excited to tell their friends and families about the bikes.

“Thank you to those who arranged both the event today and the balance bike lending scheme. We will certainly be promoting it amongst our families here at Central Primary School. Everyone at the event made our children feel so special and we, as a school, could not be prouder of the way they represented us today.

We are thrilled that Morgan Sindall Infrastructure is providing Ashington with a fleet of balance bikes, giving children the chance to explore and enjoy this fantastic new resource. This project is sure to inspire a love for cycling and physical activity in the local community!