On Active Girls Day 2019, Scottish Cycling launched our Active Girls Fund, offering funding for Scottish Cycling affiliated clubs to put their ideas into action to increase and retain the number of girls within their clubs and the sport.

Clubs had the opportunity to bid for up to £1000 and their project had to meet one, or more, of the following objectives:

• Introduce the sport to girls who are not currently engaged in the sport or not currently a member of a club
• Increase the number of girls within the club
• Address barriers which prevent girls from participating in the sport
• Increase the number of female volunteers, coaches and leaders within clubs
• Increase the retention of teenage girls in the sport

West Lothian Clarion (WLC)

WLC wanted to increase the number of girls over 10 years old in their club and applied to fund a trip to Glentress, with an inspirational talk from Isla Short and clothing for the new club members.

Coronavirus restrictions continue to present challenges to the successful delivery of a trip to Glentress, however this hasn’t stopped WLC from welcoming a group of new girl members to the club, at a Getting to Know You session at Callendar Estate on 12^th September. The girls are currently attending a block of six coaching sessions, due to complete on 7^th November.

Falkirk Junior Bike Club

FJBC applied for funding to help them to:

• Encourage girls to try out cycling
• Support girls to join the club
• Work with girls to ensure their sustained participation in the sport
• Encourage girls to develop healthy lifestyles through active living

Included within their application was a request to fund the creation of a promotional video demonstrating their girl members enjoying cycling at the club, helping to promote the joys of cycling to a wider audience, including to other girls not currently involved in the sport.

We are pleased to present the girls of Falkirk Junior Bike Club, showing us how much fun cycling is:

Arran High School

Arran High School Cycle Club were awarded funds towards the recruitment and training of a new female mountain bike leader in the level 2 MTB Leadership Award.

The club paid for their Active Schools Coordinator to gain this qualification and increase the number of female MTB leaders at the club.

The club now offers female-only sessions on a Wednesday and currently has four girls attending these sessions. In addition, there are girls attending sessions on other days, and female volunteers also assisting with these.

Robert McNeice from the club commented: I think what appears to work for us is that the girls have options. The girls only group definitely works as intended, but it does not suit all.