The fast-growing Ilkley Cycling Club has been recognised for its efforts in inspiring others to get involved in the sport and lead healthier lives.

Professional cyclist Josh Edmondson, of Team Sky, presented the club with the 51st Bradford Council B-active award at its Sky Ride event on Sunday.

Run by volunteers – with an ethos that everybody does their bit – the Ilkley club has been selected for the award after its work with local schools, its innovative outlook and its positive work delivering youth programmes and staging cycling events in the community.

Since it was re-established in 2011, the club has become the largest of its kind in the country boasting more than 1,100 members.

Bradford Council executive member for environment, sport and sustainability, Councillor Andrew Thornton, said: “The work that Ilkley Cycling Club does for the community and the contribution these volunteers make to engage young people with the sport is phenomenal. It is a pleasure to be able to recognise and celebrate this work with a B-active award.”

As a community-based club, it supports riders of all abilities, from beginners to experienced racing cyclists.

Clubmark accredited, its youth development programme, is designed to provide support to children of all ages to develop the skills and confidence to cycle safely – from the first stages of learning to ride a bike, right through to competitive cycling.

ICC regularly organises welcoming rides such as weekly women’s specific rides, race-training, daytime and evening socials, mountain biking, family and fortnightly youth rides through the spring to autumn.

It recently launched an innovative go:cycling scheme, which promotes and encourages utility cycling within the town by running cycling training, bike maintenance classes, offering a fleet of loan bikes and a website to help share information to those interested in making cycling part of their everyday routines.