Cycling to Public Health event planned for Edinburgh
The keynote speakers at the event on Thursday 22 March 2018 will include Professor Chris Oliver (AKA “the Cycling Surgeon”), Honorary Professor of Physical Activity for Health at the Physical Activity for Health Research Centre, University of Edinburgh and Dr Katie Walter, GP at Cairn Medical Practice in Inverness. The event's chair is GP and broadcaster Margaret McCartney, author of “The Patient Paradox” and “The State of Medicine”, regular contributor for the British Medical Journal and broadcaster for Radio 4’s “Inside Health”.
The Cycling to Public Health event aims to bring public health practitioners together with active travel professionals and volunteers who are interested in delivering cycling activities that are linked to health outcomes. The event will feature a varied set of workshops, discussions and presentations from projects across Scotland including Glasgow’s Common Wheel, Inverness’ Velocity, Perth & Kinross’ Care Inspectorate, Stirling’s Cycle Hub, Edinburgh’s ABC Project and Alloa’s Pedal 4th.
Dr Chris Oliver commented: “Cycling is integral to the Scottish Government's plan for physical activity. I think that cycling strategy is becoming more joined up by sterling efforts by Cycling UK, Sustrans and Cycling Scotland amongst many other organisations and stakeholders. The cycling strategy is improving but is decades behind Dutch and Scandinavian infrastructure.”
Suzanne Forup, Cycling UK’s Head of Development for Scotland, added: “Because cycling is good for our health, Cycling UK would like to bring public health professionals together with active travel projects to help enable more people to ride a bike in Scotland. There’s some great work happening and it’s important that this gets shared so we would like this day to spark conversation and ideas around projects and activities.”
Notes to editors
1. The Cycling to Public Health is a free event and it will take place at Edinburgh Methodist Church, 25 Nicolson Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9BX, 10.30am - 3pm (booking link https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/cycling-to-public-health-tickets-43312775678)
2. Speakers include:
Sheena Williamson, Inspector for the Care Inspectorate, Perth & Kinross, Stirling and Clackmannanshire
Ferga Penny, Velocity, Inverness
Cameron MacFarlane, Health and Social Care Alliance Scotland (ALISS)
Graham McQueen Forth Environment Link / Stirling Cycle Hub
Hannah Chivers, Community Club Project Manager, Cycling UK
Emma Razi, Common Wheel community group, Glasgow
Lynn Speed, Pedal 4th, Hawkhill, Clackmannanshire
Victoria Leiper, Bike for Good Wheelbeing project, Glasgow
David Glover, ABC Development Officer, Edinburgh
3. Cycling UK, the national cycling charity, inspires and helps people to cycle and keep cycling, whatever kind of cycling they do or would like to do. Over a century’s experience tells us that cycling is more than useful transport; it makes you feel good, gives you a sense of freedom and creates a better environment for everyone. www.cyclinguk.org
Press contact information
For further information and interview requests, please contact Shona Morris, Project Manager at Cycling UK, on shona.morris@cyclinguk.org or 07825 908336.
