COPE Ltd secures Cycling Scotland Funding

Malcolm and Alison check out the new e-bike!

COPE has been awarded a grant to cover the cost of becoming a Cycling Friendly Employer. The aim of the Cycling Scotland scheme is to encourage active travel and increase community access to e-bikes and bike shelters. The grant awarded to COPE covers the cost of two bike stores located at our main site at Port Business Park in Lerwick, each large enough to house two bikes. The grant also covered the purchase of two e-bikes.

The stores are similar to those already provided under the same scheme for NHS Shetland staff and at selected Hjaltland Housing Association sites. At COPE, the stores offer secure, dry storage for staff bikes and will encourage people to cycle to work where possible. The e-bikes provide an opportunity for COPE staff to cycle between our sites and they will also be available to staff for recreational use after a short induction to ensure safe use.

The e-bikes were sourced through fellow social enterprise and registered charity, the Shetland Community Bike Project, while Shetland Composites and Artmachine supplied the bike stores and signage.

Lisa Johnson, support worker, said "Having the e-bikes and stores here will really encourage me to cycle more. Being able to use an e-bike through work is brilliant, I couldn't afford to buy one myself at the moment but having the opportunity to use one is really inspiring me to save!"