Out in the community since 2019

Coventry Council Road Safety Summit

Coventry · invited by Taiwo Owatemi MP

BYLC and SmartLearner Driving School joined the panel at the city's Road Safety Summit. Josh Sandhu and Glenn Hartwell represented us, with Glenn setting out what needs to change on Coventry's roads, followed by an open Q&A with residents.

Next, we're working with Taiwo and her team on an open letter to the Government, and residents can pick up free envelopes from our office to send their views to the council.

Charity football

September 2026 · with SmartLearner Driving School

Well done to Zane and the SmartLearner team for their charity football match in support of BYLC. Great to see young players, families and instructors out together behind the BYLC banner.

Summer community day

July 2025 · Coventry

Glenn and Josh ran the BYLC stand in the sunshine, with VR and our photo frame. Even the mascot stopped by for a picture.

Road safety plate competition

August 2025

Young people turned paper plates into road safety posters, with messages like "Look!", "Slow down" and "Don't text and drive". The finished wall was a riot of colour.

Christmas fundraiser

6 December 2024 · White Diamond Venue

A black tie evening with a three-course Christmas meal, a DJ and a raffle with prizes from mystery holidays to paintballing. Local councillors, British Transport Police officers and residents came along to support us.

World Day of Remembrance service

17 November 2024 · St George's Church, Coundon

Our second annual service, led by Reverend Jennifer Wickham. Glenn Hartwell introduced the service and Jo Smith read a poem. Councillor Gavin Lloyd brought forward the remembrance hearts, and David Moorcroft OBE, Deputy Lord Lieutenant, led a moment of silence.

Alistair Robinson of Transport for West Midlands spoke, Taiwo Owatemi MP gave a reading, and Dr Chunn Kidd Cheung from UHCW talked about treating people hurt in road crashes.

Eastern Green Scouts

Eastern Green, Coventry

Glenn gave the scouts a short talk on the Fatal Five, then everyone tried the drunk buster goggles, stacking cups with and without them to feel how impairment slows you down. Parents got in touch afterwards to say the message had landed.

Motofest

June 2024 · Coventry

Our second year at Motofest. Visitors stacked cups in drunk buster goggles, watched a VR film made by the Fire Service about riding with an impaired driver, and played our lollipop prize game for Rubik's cubes, yo-yos and tyre pressure checkers.

White Diamond charity evening

2 March 2024 · White Diamond Venue, with The Beagle Freedom Project

Live music from Jazz Mattu, a full vegan menu and a raffle, organised by Arran Kaur and hosted by Lishkara Road Show. Thanks to SmartLearner Driving School, SAY Stylists and Kang Construction for prizes and donations.

Our share is going on equipment for school and college visits, a new gazebo for outdoor events, and the local community.

Coundon Court School

Coundon Court Secondary School, Coventry

Four days of free sessions on careless and inconsiderate driving. Students did beer goggle focus groups, watched distraction videos, tried the VR headsets and joined a presentation on the Fatal Five. The school has asked us back.

RoadPeace Challenge

May 2024 · UN Global Road Safety Week

The team took on the RoadPeace Challenge in RoadPeace T-shirts funded by SmartLearner. Josh Sandhu and friends walked the 16km Pen y Fan Horseshoe in the Brecon Beacons, Jo Smith walked serious distances, and Glenn did his miles on the cross-trainer.

St George's Church memorial service

19 November 2023 · St George's Church, Coundon

Our first service, held with Vicar Jennifer Wickham after several road deaths in the area. Police, ambulance, fire, British Transport Police, Transport for West Midlands and 159 Regiment RLC attended, alongside local councillors. Former paramedic Pete Huggins shared his experience as a first responder.

Motofest

3 and 4 June 2023 · Coventry

Our first Motofest stand, in the middle of a weekend built around cars and speed. Visitors from teenagers to police officers tried our impairment goggle challenge, and we ran eyesight checks against the legal standard of reading a number plate at 20 metres.

ICE Live

Edgbaston, Birmingham

We showed our driving simulator at the UK's only conference on virtual reality in road and community safety education, supported by Road Safety GB, and met others using VR to teach.

Whittle Arch lights

November 2022 · Coventry city centre

At the end of Road Safety Week we lit Coventry's Whittle Arch red in memory of road crash victims, the first time the Arch had been lit this way. Councillors Gavin Lloyd and Patricia Hetherton joined us and the Coventry Observer covered the switch-on.

Tanks, Trucks and Firepower

Rugby · two days

Our beer goggles showed experienced drivers how quickly impairment takes over, and we learned how a military driving test works compared with the DVSA test.