CHESHIRE’S Police and Crime Commisioner has given a paralympic athlete £5,000 to buy a bike as he says it will help reduce hate crime.

John Dwyer has awarded the cash grant to Adrian Derbyshire to help fund a hand pushbike so he can use it to visit schools and talk to children about crimes against disabled people.

Mr Derbyshire, a paralympic fencer from Whitecross, will also use it to compete in distance events like the English half marathon.

Mr Dwyer called it ‘money well spent’.

He said: “The project will reduce hate crime and we will monitor what has been achieved as the year unfolds.

“The idea is brilliant as it’s something that is not going on at the moment.

“Adrian wants to speak to children at an early age to make them understand crime against people because they have a disability isn’t on.

“He has a can-do attitude and does valuable work.”

The money has come from the Crime Prevention Fund, a pot of public money worth £100,000, aimed at supporting projects with relevant initiatives to reduce crime.

Mr Dwyer can award grants of up to £5,000 to one scheme, with applicants required to explain why they need the money and what will be done with it.

The commisioner said he agreed the money would help buy the bike, which costs around £20,000, and called it a ‘good investment’.

“You could argue this is a waste of money but I don’t think that it is,” he added.

Mr Derbyshire coaches children and is an ambassador for charity Stop Hate UK.

He says he has arranged to visit 30 schools in the town to discuss hate crime.

The bike will be used to interest children, says Mr Derbyshire, who will then turn the topic to how disabled people can be victimised.

“I can talk to them about the bike, sport, healthy eating, and then bring up hate crime,” he said.

“It’s a more user friendly way of speaking to children.

“If I just went and talked about hate crime, they might get bored.”

The project starts in April.

Mr Derbyshire, who was victim to a burglary in January when fencing equipment was stolen, added he plans to bike to schools nationwide.

The journeys will be used as training for future competitions.

When competing he says he plans to raise money for charity.

To book Adrian to visit your school, e-mail him at adriadrianderby@gmail.com.

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