The Mary Erskine School and Stewart’s Melville College have both received an award from Cycling Scotland, the nation’s cycling organisation, for their commitment to making it easier for people to get on their bikes.
The nationally recognised award recognises organisations – from workplaces to schools, community groups to campuses – that have contributed to promoting cycling as a healthy and sustainable travel choice.
We gathered MES students Amelia B, Jemima A and Rosie D for an icy, celebratory photo with Mr Simpson, the Principal of ESMS, Chris Walker from Cycling Scotland and Mr Ogilvie - Manager of Outdoor Learning. Not a huge amount of cycling to be done in those conditions, but a celebration none the less!
In order to achieve the Cycling Friendly award, both schools have committed to a number of initiatives to make cycling to and from school as easy as possible. This includes encouraging students and parents to travel by bike by sharing bike friendly travel routes and providing ample spaces for staff and students to park and store their bikes. Both Schools also offer opportunities for all students access to bike training to build confidence, and the Schools run a number of Clubs and Trips with biking at the heart, the most recent being an epic journey with students from Stewart’s Melville College cycling from Carbisdale Castle in the Highlands back to ESMS.
Chris Walker from Cycling Scotland comments: “It’s been great working with ESMS over the last couple of months. Encouraging cycling in schools can help young people to develop skills and confidence, celebrate healthy life choices, and support mental wellbeing, so it’s been inspiring to see the opportunities that the School is providing. I am delighted to give ESMS the Cycling Friendly School Award to recognise the efforts that the school puts in to make cycling accessible to all pupils.”
Anthony Simpson, Principal of ESMS adds: “Being recognised as a cycle friendly school is fantastic. This award comes off the back of a tremendous amount of work behind the scenes, led by our Manager of Outdoor Learning, Dave Ogilvie.
Many of our staff and families live within biking distance of both our Senior Schools, and the more people we can convince to leave the car at home and experience the joy of cycling, the better. It’s better for our health, better for the planet, and certainly adds to a smoother pick-up and drop-off!”
Plans are already underway to secure the same accolade for ESMS Nursery and Junior School.
