To mark the fifth anniversary of Scottish Women and Girls in Sport Week (25-31 October), Scottish Government Ministers have been meeting the people behind the projects that encourage more women and girls to engage in sport and physical activity.
Minister for Zero Carbon Buildings, Active Travel and Tenants’ Rights, Patrick Harvie, visited the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome at Glasgow’s Emirates Arena to find out more about the work going on to encourage greater women and girls’ participation in cycling.
As part of the visit Mr Harvie met with officials from Scottish Cycling, to hear about the Glasgow Women on Wheels Cycling Festival, the Breeze initiative, as well as speaking to and watching a number of female performance cyclists training on the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome. Also present was Chief Executive of the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships, Trudy Lindblade, who spoke to the Minister about how they hope the event will help create more positive female role models in all disciplines of cycling.
Following the visit, Mr Harvie said:
“Scotland has got an incredible opportunity to not just use the Cycling World Championships coming up, but to use the appetite we’ve seen in the last year or two for people travelling actively as well. But at the moment, there are barriers that a lot of people feel – whether its gender, economics, or the physical environment. We want to break down all of those barriers and make sure that women and girls from a wide-range of backgrounds all across the country, think that cycling is for them.”
Chief Executive of Scottish Cycling, Nick Rennie, added:
“It was great to share some of the initiatives we currently deliver to get women and girls into sport, such as the Glasgow Women on Wheels Festival and the Breeze programme that we deliver in Scotland. With the 2023 Cycling World Championships now just around the corner, it was great to discuss with the Minster how we can inspire and encourage more women and girls to take part in our great sport, which offers so many tangible benefits, from physical and mental health, right through to friendship and teamwork.”
Chief Executive of sportscotland, Stewart Harris, said:
“It is fantastic to see the great work being delivered right across the sporting system to encourage more women and girls to make sport and physical activity a part of their daily lives.
“We know that ‘you can’t be what you can’t see’ which makes it so important to celebrate the fantastic female role models in sport who demonstrate what women and girls can achieve with the right support.
“From the exceptional performances of the Scots on Team GB and ParalympicsGB in Tokyo, to the parents, coaches, teachers, and volunteers who create opportunities for women and girls to find their own journey in sport, this week provides a terrific opportunity to shine a light on their vital contribution.”
Scottish Women and Girls in Sport Week takes place from 25 – 31 October 2021.
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