Funding now available to run local, inclusive cycling events in 2021

Community organisations can apply for grants of up to £10,000 to organise free, beginner-friendly cycling events in 2021.

This new scheme from Cycling Scotland – which had to be paused in 2020 due to COVID-19 – builds on the 20-year legacy of the organisation’s Pedal for Scotland events.

In 2021, Cycling Scotland will support community organisations to deliver local cycling events across the country – subject to mass participation events running next year – with funding from Transport Scotland.

Organisations can apply for up-to-£10,000 grants to run local Pedal for Scotland events for between 250 and 700 people.

Pedal for Scotland events will:

• Be inclusive, free and non-competitive.
• Be on beginner-friendly cycling routes that don’t require technical cycling skills or high fitness levels and can be cycled on with adapted bikes and tricycles wherever possible.
• Showcase local cycling infrastructure.
• Be community-led and provide opportunities for local groups to work in partnership.
• Support the development of local skills and resources.
• Be delivered with minimal environmental impact.

There are also up-to-£1,000 grants for community organisations to support local cycling events for between 50 and 250 people. Funding can be used for event set up, equipment, insurance and route support.

The events will support participants to access bikes to help more people participate. The 2021 scheme is a pilot and will be evaluated ahead of potential expansion in future years.

Cycling Scotland Head of Training Christopher Johnston commented: “Our aim is for a series of inclusive, cycling events to happen across Scotland to support people new to cycling to give it a try in a welcoming, safe and fun environment.

“Many more people are cycling this year and even more are considering cycling for the first time. It’s important we support more people to cycle for their health and as a practical and environmentally-friendly way to travel short journeys.

“We’re encouraging community organisations to apply to the Pedal for Scotland fund and to establish cycling events in their local areas.”

2019 marked the 20-year anniversary of Pedal for Scotland, which grew from 400 participants in 1999, delivering an estimated £1.1m for the Scottish economy every year.

Since its inception, more than 110,000 people have taken part in Pedal for Scotland, an initiative that developed from the original closed-road Classic Challenge fundraising event between Glasgow and Edinburgh to include longer and shorter rides for different abilities.

2019 saw the last Classic Challenge. It was announced in June last year that Pedal for Scotland would evolve into a series of shorter, free events in different locations to support more people to cycle.

For more information on the funding and how to apply, visit www.pedal.scot