I got the job!!! Campus Cycle Officer working with Edinburgh College and Cycling Scotland

First blog to as a Campus Cycle Officer working with Edinburgh College and Cycling Scotland

Ahhh I am so excited to share that I got a job as a Cycling Officer with Edinburgh College. I can’t believe I will have a job that combines my passion for cycling with supporting people to become more active. I will have the opportunity to engage with students and work collaboratively with other agencies like Paths for All, Cycling Scotland, Sustrans and Bright Green Business, to create new way to encourage active travel, well-being and sustainable living.

I am hoping to document my journey as a Cycle Officer for Edinburgh College and Cycle Scotland. Talking about the challenges I face, what I learn and what programmes/event I run.

Background: How I fell in love with cycling

I have always had a passion for cycling, especially for commuting to university, work and general life. Everyday come rain or shine, I cycled to university normally looking like a Michelin man, wrapped up in jackets and scarfs.

During my time at university I spend a summer volunteering with Stirling cycle hub and Active Stirling. That summer really inspired me to get more involved with cycling. We ran the community led rides twice a week, all summer. It such an amazing experience. Every week we cycled to around 10 miles. We usually cycled to a stopped at a café half way and. had a wee cup of tea. This experience allowed me to see the true impact cycling can have in all of our lives.

I met so many diverse inspiring people. I always remember the journey of an incredible women from Amsterdam. She had a cancer and was receiving chemo-therapy treatment. She told me she absolutely loved coming on the rides. It gave her time to socialise, be out in nature and switch-off from life. Some weeks she felt too fatigued after her treatment to come along to the rides. One day she came cycling up to hub smiling, she had hired an E-Bike from the cycle hub. It was such a wonderful moment. It was so amazing to see how liberated she was. She could still come along for the social aspects of the cycles and slowly build up her strength at the same time.

This was the first time I had seen or tried the E-Bike. What a brilliant invention. They give everyone, of all abilities and fitness levels a chance to gradually build up fitness. I even met a 78-year-old women up here in Orkney from England who had brought her E-bike from home. She told me it was the best thing she has ever bought herself. After recovering from a recent hip injury, it has allowed her to build back her confidence and fitness whilst being outside in nature.

This year Scotland has dedicated a lot of funding and support into encouraging active travel. I feel this is a crucial time to try and promote cycling both for our physical and mental well-being. I feel so lucky to have applied for this job and been successful.