19 February 2024
Time to Vote for Yorkshire’s only nominee in the running for national Tourism Superstar Award
The public are being urged to vote for a North York Moors man who is in the running for a prestigious national accolade for the positive impact he has had on thousands of people’s lives by making cycling more accessible and inclusive.
Rob Brown, who works for Dalby Forest Cycle Hub, is Yorkshire’s only contender out of the 10 nominees nationally who have been shortlisted to win VisitEngland’s Tourism Superstar Award 2024.
Today (Monday 19 February) the competition officially opens, enabling the public to go online and vote for the nominee they consider to be the most deserving of the top prize. People then have until midnight on the 24 March to place their vote before the winner is announced a few days later.
Rob, who hails from Pickering, was originally nominated for the award by the North York Moors National Park for the crucial role he has played in making cycling far more inclusive, which has enabled more people to enjoy beautiful surroundings such as Dalby Forest; and enriching the region’s reputation as a caring community.
In the six years that Rob has been a co-director at the Dalby Forest Cycle Hub, he has worked to develop a unique, inclusive cycling centre in the woodland surroundings. He has helped make the Cycle Hub a special destination that provides memorable cycling activities in a fantastic place including, unusually, the provision of bikes and training for all abilities, from the disabled to the fully able-bodied; the very young to the elderly and everybody in between.
Over this time Rob has also helped hundreds of people though his work with schools, disability groups and charities across the region.
Realising that cycling can break down many social and physical barriers, Rob has devoted a huge amount of time, not just to teaching the skills to ride a bike, but also in developing more positive mindsets so that people, youngsters and adults alike, feel empowered to achieve more.
In particular Rob has helped school children across North Yorkshire to develop life skills through cycling, whether it’s teamwork, encouraging their friends or developing resilience and a sense of ‘I can do this’. Importantly, through his work with special educational schools, he has provided a therapeutic escape and helped build coping skills for those living with unique challenges.
Through working with the National Park, Rob has also accessed grant funding to enable the Cycle Hub to expand its fleet of adapted bikes and invest in accessories to support those with particular mobility and sensory impairments so they too can enjoy the freedom of being outdoors.
Rob comments: “I first became aware of the need for accessible cycling some years ago, whilst working with a primary school. There was one little boy who used a wheelchair and the teacher explained that he would stay in the classroom whilst the other children rode their bikes. I just felt so sad, and I promised I would find a bike so that he could join them. I did, and from that moment on, my life changed, and so did his.
“There are so many inclusive bikes available now that can liberate the lives of people impacted by illness or injury, and we want to get that message out there. Why is that so important? Well when you hear the laughter of a mum who was able to ride in the forest with her daughter for the first time. Or the shout of encouragement from a group of friends to their mate who survived a stroke. Then you will know, and you will understand why I do what I do.”
Catriona McLees, Head of Marketing and Communications at the North York Moors National Park adds: “Rob is an inspiration. Through his involvement with our Tourism Accessibility project, we saw how passionate and dedicated he is to helping people get more out of their lives.
“His work at Dalby Forest Cycle Hub has helped the North York Moors become a blueprint for other destinations to follow when it comes to increasing their accessibility and inclusivity. Crucially he has also enabled us to go beyond showcasing the beauty of the North York Moors and show how there’s a caring community at the heart of the National Park.”
To vote for Rob, go to VisitEngland’s Tourism Superstar
ENDS
Media contacts
Amanda Brown on M: 07876 452580 or email: amanda@a2bpr.co.uk
Or
Nina Beadle
Communications Officer, North York Moors National Park Authority
press@northyorkmoors.org.uk
01439 772700
The North York Moors National Park
The North York Moors is a beautiful landscape of stunning moorland, ancient woodland and historic sites. Created on 28 November 1952, it became Britain’s sixth national park. Covering an area of 554 square miles (1,436 square kilometres) the National Park has 26 miles of coastline, two national nature reserves, 840 Scheduled Monuments and over 3,000 listed buildings, attracting an estimated 8.4 million visitors a year.
The National Park has two visitor centres, Danby Lodge National Park Centre and Sutton Bank National Park Centre, providing opportunities for cycling, walking, eating, picnicking, shopping, crafts and wildlife-watching. The centre in Danby also houses the Inspired by… gallery, which features regularly changing exhibitions by artists who draw their inspiration from the North York Moors.
The North York Moors National Park Authority works with a wide variety of people to care for this beautiful corner of Yorkshire, providing apprenticeships and volunteering opportunities with nearly 14% of staff being apprentices from local families.
To view other press releases and for further information about the North York Moors National Park, visit www.northyorkmoors.org.uk