A MOTORBIKE course aimed at helping former addicts stay clean is hoping to be first out of the blocks for Jubilee Fund cash.

The first, six-week ‘Rev & Go’ course has just taken place at the Ley Community in Yarnton – teaching former alcoholics and drug addicts how to maintain and run a motorbike and ride it on a moto cross track.

Now the Community’s chief executive, Wendy Dawson, hopes the charity will be able to continue to run the course for other addicts, by qualifying for money raised in Oxfordshire for the Queen’s Jubilee year.

Mrs Dawson 51, said: “We started Rev & Go with a lottery grant and it has been a great success so far.

“Sustaining recovery is the most important challenge for an ex-addict, but Rev & Go is proving to be an excellent recovery focused intervention.

“We have been amazed how brilliantly the men and women have responded to the course and their feedback has been inspiring.”

She added: “The first cohort have just completed the course and tell us it has changed their perspective on what they are capable of.

“Comments include: ‘The best thing, besides the team building experience, the strengthening of the relationship with my peers and the opportunity to enjoy a new challenge, was that it reinforced my conviction that I can recover from my addiction, and confirmed to me that I can start a new life, that can be serious, enjoyable, productive and makes me feel proud of who I am.’ “Another said: ‘This experience taught me that I can have real, exhilarating, adrenalin-pumping fun without recourse to drugs or drink.”

The Ley Community has been running for 40 years and puts former alcoholics and drug addicts through a ‘boot camp’ regime towards recovery, with an aim of getting them back into work and out of dependency.

Mrs Dawson said: “Of course running things like Rev & Go costs money, so we would be delighted for help from the Jubilee Fund, because it would enable even more of our residents to experience it.”

The Jubilee Fund for Oxfordshire marks the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee year and aims to raise millions of pounds to support community groups throughout Oxfordshire.

Everyone is being encouraged to raise cash in any way they can, with all proceeds being used to make Oxfordshire a better place for everyone – including those who may need a second chance.

For more details email: jubilee@oxfordshire.org, call 01865 798666, or drop into OCF’s offices at 3 Woodins Way, Oxford. Donate by phone by texting JBLE 12 to 70070.