Green, pink, blue and red bikes sit in a row

UCI Cycling World Championships 2023: events programme gets underway with free activities for children and families

Posted 04.08.23 by Alice Hinds

As thousands of professional cyclists from around the world arrive in Glasgow for the UCI Cycling World Championships, families can also get involved, via a free programme of events running until 13 August

Designed to promote cycling and wellbeing to children and young people, and encourage healthy and active lifestyles across sport, culture and the arts, the citywide GO LIVE! programme features everything from “come and try” sessions to trail races, as well as book events at local libraries.

Making cycling more accessible for the local community, while inspiring children to get on their bike and have active fun, here’s just a few highlights of the programme, all of which can be enjoyed for free:

Tollcross, Saturday 5 August

Open from 11am until 5pm, this family-friendly event has activities for all ages and abilities, including Play Together on Pedals (click here for more) sessions for pre-school children, music workshops, a family sports zone, and stunt performances. Plus, there will be a free bike repair service to get your wheels ride-ready.

Family Football Fun with Danny Scott, 10 August

Pop along to Baillieston Library, where Scotland Stars FC author Danny Scott (click here for more) will give a talk on the beautiful game and read an extract from one of his books, while interactive challenges, quizzes and penalty shootouts keep children engaged. Suitable for children aged six to 10.

Cathkin Braes, Saturday 12 August

As well as more “come and try” sessions and live entertainment, Scottish Cycling (click here for more) will hosting the Ride The Worlds Pump Track Finals, which sees youth riders up to the age of 16 compete for the series title.

Official fan zone, George Square, every day until 13 August

George Square will be a centre of excitement, hosting road race finishes, medal ceremonies, live music, cycling taster sessions, and lots of other sporting activities – perfect for getting children interested in active fun.

With around 2,700 riders competing for rainbow jerseys across seven disciplines and more than 200 world titles, the UCI Cycling World Championships is a “first-of-its-kind mega event", which organisers hope will encourage people of all ages to get on their bike.

Bailie Annette Christie, Chair of Glasgow Life, said: “Building on the legacy of previous sporting events that also offered complementary cultural and activity-based programming, GO LIVE! gives us an opportunity to support, grow and develop cycling in our communities.

“The free performances, events, activities and ‘come and try’ elements of the programme widen the appeal of the UCI Cycling World Championships and let us host more local, community-led, events in wards across the city. The festival atmosphere in the city is going to be amazing and I would urge everybody to get involved.”

For more information on the free events available across the city, click here to visit the GO LIVE! website: www.glasgowlife.org.uk/sport/go-live-glasgow

#AndSheCycles Festival 2023: Charity announces new funding for essential equipment

Posted 15.06.23 by Alice Hinds

Launched as part of Scotland’s annual #AndSheCycles Festival, running from 17-25 June, groups, schools and charities can now apply for specialist funding to help get more teenage girls into cycling.

Awarded by Sustrans, the charity making it easier for people to walk and cycle, up to £2,000 is available for organisations that wish to implement new projects, covering the cost of purchasing bikes, lockers, helmets and other essential equipment.

Applications for the first round of funding are open now until 29 June 2023, with successful projects receiving the investment in August/September.

Groups working with teenage girls and young women in Scotland can also download a resource pack to help plan activities during #AndSheCycles Festival, which kicks off on Saturday 17 June with an in-person event in Inverurie, Aberdeenshire. The free event, designed for girls aged 13 to 18, will include led bike rides, obstacle courses, games, and even a smoothie bike, as well as practical advice for everyone from novice riders to experienced cyclists.

People taking part in #AndSheCycles Festival activities are also encouraged to share photos of them while cycling, tagging @and_she_cycles on Instagram for the chance to win £500 worth of bike shop or Ticketmaster vouchers.

With many teenage girls in Scotland facing challenges that prevent them from cycling, the #AndSheCycles campaign and yearly festival aim to break down barriers by widening access, changing attitudes, and normalising cycling.

Tremaine Bilham, delivery manager for education, young people and communities at Sustrans, said: “Through the #AndSheCycles campaign, we hope to empower teenage girls to take control of their movement without shame or stigma.

“Cycling not only promotes health and wellbeing but also builds confidence, independence and a sense of adventure. By encouraging more teenage girls to cycle, we help them to feel safer when on their bike for everyday journeys.”

For more information, click here to visit the #AndSheCycles website: ibike.sustrans.org.uk/andshecycles

Changing Gears project to capture young people’s views on cycling, safety and health

8 May 2020

Children in Scotland has launched a new project to find out what children and young people think about cycling, safety and the Bikeability programme, the cycle training programme run in primary schools by Cycling Scotland.

Changing Gears will evaluate the Bikeability programme and aims to understand more broadly what children and young people experience on their journeys and their future aspirations for travel.

The project will capture perspectives on road safety and risk; active travel choices; health and wellbeing; how the climate change movement is shifting attitudes; and the impact of longer term demographic changes, including cost of car ownership.

It will also examine potential challenges for children in years P5-7 and how the Bikeability programme helps.

Children in Scotland will be working with three schools later in the year to gather views.

To get ready for the school visits, we are recruiting a Co-Design Team of young people to help shape design the project and decide on questions and approach.

Click here for information about applying to be part of the Co-Design Team

The project is being led at Children in Scotland by our Participation Manager Elaine Kerridge alongside Policy Officer Chris Ross, who said:

“We’re very pleased to be launching this evaluation and participation project in partnership with Cycling Scotland to look at the impact and potential development of their Bikeability programme.

“Changing Gears will examine a lot of interconnected priorities for young people including active travel, health and wellbeing and the environment and we’re really looking forward to hearing what children at the three schools we’ll be visiting have to say.

“As the project names suggests, we’re anticipating finding out lots of interesting ideas about what young people think should change in terms of cycling, road safety, health and the environment – and their right to have their views included in decisions about all these issues.”

If you have any more questions about getting involved in Changing Gears you can contact Chris at cross@childreninscotland.org.uk

We need you!

All the details about how to apply to be on the project Co-Design Team

Click to find out more

Changing Gears recruitment film

We've produced a short film telling you all about the project

Click to watch the film

Cycling Scotland

Find out more about our project partner and Bikeability

Click to visit the website

Participation Guidelines

Our publication can help children's voices to be at the heart of participation work

Click to download the guidelines

UCI Cycling World Championships 2023: events programme gets underway with free activities for children and families

As thousands of professional cyclists from around the world arrive in Glasgow for the UCI Cycling World Championships, families can also get involved, via a free programme of events running until 13 August

Related content

#AndSheCycles Festival 2023: Charity announces new funding for essential equipment

Launched as part of Scotland’s annual #AndSheCycles Festival, running from 17-25 June, groups, schools and charities can now apply for specialist funding to help get more teenage girls into cycling.

Related content