Press Release
Top outdoor adventure coach in Shetland to deliver Trail Cycle Leader Awards.
One of the UK’s top outdoor adventure coaches, Jules Fincham from Cycle Wild Scotland was in Shetland last week to deliver Trail Cycle Leader Awards to a group made up of council staff, volunteers and a member of the local police force.
This award is run by Cycle Wild Scotland on behalf of Scottish Cycling and is the first of its kind in Shetland. The course includes mountain biking skills, trailside repairs, bike set up, navigation and leadership and provides individuals with the skill set necessary to lead groups mountain biking.
The project was funded through a grant from Cycling Scotland and it is hoped that those gaining the qualification will use it to inspire young people in Shetland to participate in the sport of cycling and the wider use of bikes.
Pete Richardson, the Council’s Outdoor Education and Activities Officer said “Jules is here to deliver the qualification, but also to provide inspiration. If we can encourage kids to cycle, get them off road and show them some quick fix bike maintenance; that can be really empowering”.
Showing that mountain biking is a safe and enjoyable sport will undoubtedly have health benefits for young people, but it is hoped that it will also encourage kids to become more self reliant.
“It’s all about getting kids on bikes”, said Jules. “If kids realise that they can get out and about on bikes and use them for journeys to school, the shops, for socialising – they are going to carry that on with them into later life”
“Taking groups out to wild and remote places helps to show kids that cycling is a great way to get around and hopefully it will encourage them to become more involved in other bike based sports like BMX, racing or downhill”
“I’ve seen kids build their own dirt jumps and tracks here, so there is obviously a hunger for these types of facilities. If you enthuse them into biking – they will find their own venue. Anything on wheels is good news”
