Five-year-old Mansfield ‘wild child’ set to climb Snowdon in aid of his BMX club​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

A young “wild child” from Mansfield is preparing for his biggest challenge yet – climbing Snowdon aged just five to raise money for his BMX club.
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Ezra Peabody, from Berry Hill, will take up the challenge, with dad Olly, friend Liam and dog Philo in July, after realising his club needed “lots of pennies” to fix the track.

Proud mum Tayla, aged 29, a marketing officer for Mansfield Woodhouse-based Your Home Care, said: “Since he’s been able to even crawl he’s been our wild child.

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“From such a young age, he showed no fear, but he’s also got a kind heart and a loving soul and always wants to help people.

Young Ezra Peabody is to climb Snowdon in aid of his BMX club.Young Ezra Peabody is to climb Snowdon in aid of his BMX club.
Young Ezra Peabody is to climb Snowdon in aid of his BMX club.

“After doing a sponsored event at school, Ezra decided he wanted to raise money for his BMX club, as he knew they needed ‘lots of pennies’ to fix the track.”

Birthday present

She said Ezra’s love for two wheels begain when he received a balance bike for his first birthday.

"The bike went everywhere,” said Tayla. “In any weather, he wanted to be out on his bike. There are photos of him in the snow, not getting very far. In huge, swamp like puddles. Going down all heights of hills. Even trying to ride it down the slide on the park. He caused a scene in Currys riding it up and down the aisles.

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Ezra loves being out on the BMX track.Ezra loves being out on the BMX track.
Ezra loves being out on the BMX track.

"As he got bigger, the bikes had to get bigger. And he got faster, and more daring. At two-and-a-half, he was going down the ramps on the local skate park.”

Then they heard about Chesterfield BMX Racing Club – and Ezra has never looked back.

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“We took him along to their balance bike session, and he had great fun,” said Tayla. “He learned to ride a pedal bike just after his third birthday, so joind their ready steady pedallers session. Honestly, Ezra found it boring.

Ezra with mum Tayla and dad Olly.Ezra with mum Tayla and dad Olly.
Ezra with mum Tayla and dad Olly.

“Coach Libby Hawkins taught him all the important safety features of BMX riding – how to ride safely standing, to turn corners, to distribute your weight – but Ezra didn’t want to keep riding in a straight line and do all the theory stuff. He was desperate to get on the track.

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“We had to encourage him to keep going each week, telling him that once Libby knew he was safe, he would be allowed on the track.

“When that day came, he blew us away! He had so much confidence to say he’d never ridden the track before! He listened to instructions more than we thought he would.

“He handled the straights beautifully and managed all the corners, so the time came to buy new race BMX bikes, the body armour, the full face crash helmet.

Ezra in action on the track.Ezra in action on the track.
Ezra in action on the track.

“We knew he was going to enjoy this and would get faster and braver, making it all the more dangerous for such a little boy.”

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Now aged five-and-a-half, Ezra has competed in four races across the Midlands, with fourth, third and second places secured already.

Tayla said: “He doesn’t mind at all that he hasn’t won one yet. He says at the end of each race day that he’s had ‘so much fun’ and he is always asking when the next race is.

‘Disregard of danger’

She said his “recklessness and sheer disregard of danger” – which was once a worry to her and husband Olly, 31, chief executive officer of Envii, – has been “channelled into a sport that he just loves”.

Tayla said: “His other love is the outdoors. He has always enjoyed being outside with nature. Climbing trees, making dens, jumping in any sort of stream he can find. Collecting sticks and rocks. Gardening and growing his own vegetables. And he’s always wanted to climb a mountain.

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Ezra has climbed Kinder Scout and is preparing to climb Snowdon.Ezra has climbed Kinder Scout and is preparing to climb Snowdon.
Ezra has climbed Kinder Scout and is preparing to climb Snowdon.

“He climbed Kinder Scout and walked 10 miles at the beginning of the year. He loved it so much that he wanted to climb a bigger one! So a trip to Wales was booked and it was decided he could climb Snowdon.

“After doing a sponsored bake to raise money for his school, Ezra said that he should get people to “pay” him to climb the mountain and he would give the money to his BMX club.”

Ezra said: “It took us about five hours up Kinder Scout. We stopped for snacks on the way up. Dad thought I'd get bored and start moaning, but I managed it all and had great fun, so much so, I want to do it again, so we’re going to go to Wales and climb Snowdon on July 15.”

Fund-raising

The club needs to raise about £25,000. Its track, at Ringwood Park, is open to the public and, Tayla said, unfortunately is often damaged.

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She said: “The fences get smashed for easy access onto the track. The weather also creates problems, making the track unsafe for use sometimes. The parents of the club often give up their time helping to repair and maintain the track, but they could do with some more permanent options. The electronic start gate also needs replacing, as this is almost 40 years old.

“If the track can be maintained to a high standard, British National Cycling will allow them to hold more events at the track. The more events they hold, the more eligible they are for more funding.”

She said the club provided “an amazing opportunity for the community”.

Tayla said: “Offering a sport that isn’t widely known by youngsters, as it’s not the usual football or dancing, the club itself has a wonderful community feel.

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“The parents all support each other’s children; there are Christmas parties, birthday parties, awards ceremonies, all held at the track where they all chip in with food and entertainment – once Ezra completes his challenge there will be a cheque presentation at the track!”

To support Ezra and his fundraising attempt, see gofund.me/8a4a94be

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