Tour de Rigsidegets underway

A celebration of cycling is being held on Saturday in Rigside, marking the success of a programme to encourage today’s youngsters to saddle up, just like their parents and grandparents did.
By The Newsroom
Published 23rd Mar 2019, 10:00 BST
Rigside's Make Your Way cycle promotionRigside's Make Your Way cycle promotion
Rigside's Make Your Way cycle promotion

The Rigside Bike Event allows everyone to have a taste of the successful Make Your Way course organised by the Socialtrax educational cycling group which has been honing the skills of over 100 pupils from six of our rural primary schools, namely Leadhills, Douglas, Lamington, Crawford, Abington and Rigside itself.

There were 15 of these pupils who had never sat on a bike saddle in their lives before the programme who are now keen, safe BMX cyclists.

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A teacher from Leadhills Primary said: “My kids just get really excited and ask when the ‘fun bike people’ are coming!”

Dan Scott from Socialtrack says: “The best thing is when they arrive at a session and get on a bike and show you the skills they were out practising at the weekend.”

He went on to say that the programme is designed to “engage young pupils with cycling, firstly for fun but with the full knowledge that any increase in physical activity promotes better mental and physical health.

The programme also included active travel promotion as well as bike maintenance skills. With an ability to cycle, and eventually commute a distance on a bike, they will also eventually have more opportunities for employment, education and training.”

A new, fitter generation will be the end result.