How Connecting Communities is getting more people cycling in Aberdeen

Through our Connecting Communities programme, we’re working across Aberdeen to help people overcome the barriers that stop them cycling.

That can mean lending someone a bike or adapted cycle, helping them plan a route to work, running a led ride or giving a child the chance to learn. We shape the support around the person and what they want cycling to help them achieve.

At our recent Aberdeen showcase event, project participants, volunteers, funders and local organisations came together at Seaton Community Centre to celebrate what they have achieved and share ideas for the future.
 
Jack Middleton, SNP MSP for Aberdeen Central, also joined participants for a led ride along Aberdeen Beach Esplanade and a visit to the Aberdeen Cycle Hub.
 

Connecting Communities in Aberdeen

Connecting Communities has been running in Aberdeen since April 2025. Rosie Ince, Cycling UK’s development officer for the city, works with local people and organisations to make cycling easier to access.

In its first year, the project:

• Reached 745 people through direct delivery
• Held 17 pop-up events across the city
• Provided 35 individual e-bike loans
• Delivered 42 led rides

The support available includes led rides, health walks and bike maintenance, alongside opportunities to try or borrow bikes and electric bikes.

People can also access non-standard and cargo cycles, family cycling support and volunteering opportunities. Through Play Together on Pedals, younger children and the adults around them can develop their cycling skills through play.

This range matters because there is no single reason why someone might find cycling difficult. Cost, confidence, health, access to a suitable bike and uncertainty about local routes can all get in the way.

By starting with the individual, Rosie and the Aberdeen team can find the support that works for them.

Ruth’s story: finding freedom on three wheels

Health issues had made it difficult for Ruth Roadnight to travel far and enjoy more of her surroundings.

In late 2025, Connecting Communities lent Ruth an adapted trike. She affectionately named it JC, short for ‘Jean-Claude vanRaam’, after its manufacturer.

The loan gave Ruth the chance to find out whether a trike could work for her without having to commit to buying one first. It became a lifeline, helping her travel further and spend more time outdoors.

There were ups and downs along the way, but Ruth now has a trike of her own and can continue enjoying the freedom it gives her.

Ruth’s experience shows why access to the right type of cycle matters. For many people, an adapted cycle can open up journeys and experiences that previously felt out of reach.

Getting a whole family cycling

When Tracey Guthrie attended a family cycling session with her husband and youngest daughter, two organisations worked together to help everyone take part.

Tracey and her husband tried electric bikes with Rosie and later borrowed them through Connecting Communities. At the same session, Fiona McBain from Walk Wheel Cycle Trust helped their daughter try cycling and arranged a bike loan for her.

The result was support for the whole family, shaped around their different needs.

Tracey, who works for the Scottish Association for Mental Health, joined a question-and-answer session at the showcase to talk about the family’s experience.

Her story demonstrates the value of organisations sharing their skills and resources. Cycling UK and Walk Wheel Cycle Trust are based in the same space in Aberdeen, making it easier to work together and help families find the right support.

Helping more people feel the joy of a bike ride

Connecting Communities has also provided two e-bikes on a long-term loan to Cycling Without Age Scotland’s Aberdeen City group.

Cycling Without Age Scotland works through local groups and trained volunteer pilots. Its trishaw rides help people, particularly older people and those with limited mobility, enjoy fresh air, company and the experience of travelling by cycle.

Nick and Andrew from the Aberdeen group spoke at the showcase about their work and the difference the loaned e-bikes have made.

The partnership helps cycling reach people who may not be able to ride independently. Passengers can get outside, connect with their surroundings and share the experience with volunteers and other members of the community.

Volunteers helping cycling grow in Aberdeen

Volunteers play an important part in making the project welcoming and rooted in the community. Two of Cycling UK’s newest Aberdeen volunteers, Ken Munro and Max Sheridan, shared their experiences at the showcase.

Ken supports Rosie with led rides and basic bike maintenance. Max is creating useful content to help more people enjoy cycling and learn from the project.

They join volunteers such as Peter, who has supported Connecting Communities since the project began.

Volunteering gives people the chance to share their experience, develop skills and encourage others. It also helps the project offer more activities and reach further into communities across Aberdeen.

Partnership at the heart of our work

Our work in Aberdeen depends on organisations that understand the city and the people who live there.

We’re grateful to:

• Nestrans, which funds Connecting Communities in Aberdeen alongside our two projects in Aberdeenshire.
• Aberdeen City Council, particularly Rachael Sparrow and Alan Simpson, for supporting the project from the beginning and sharing their local knowledge.
• Walk Wheel Cycle Trust, which works alongside our team to help individuals and families access bikes and cycling support.
• Cycling Without Age Scotland, for helping more people experience the wellbeing and social benefits of cycling.
• The health, community and voluntary organisations that connect local people with the project and help us understand what support they need.