Perthshire Advertiser

Fire station’s prize for wheelie great effort

- MELANIE BONN

Perth Community Fire Station has been recognised with a national award for supporting staff based there to ride bikes to work.

Cycling Scotland praised the effort and hard work undertaken by the station before presenting it with the Cycling Friendly Award.

This award is given to organisati­ons that use cycling to support physical and mental health as well as improve the environmen­t.

Perth Fire Station is shared by staff from Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) and Perth and Kinross Council Safer Community Wardens and they proved to be a great example of staff from two workplaces working closely together and making use of each other’s resources to promote cycling.

SFRS station commander Michael Rumgay said: “The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service has always promoted a healthy and active lifestyle for its employees through various health and wellbeing initiative­s.

“One of these initiative­s was the Cycle to Work Scheme, which allows employees to buy a bike which can be used to commute to and from the workplace.

“There is a strong contingent of cyclists at the station, in an amateur and social capacity with groups going out weekly on bike rides around the stunning Perthshire countrysid­e and further afield.

“We also have personnel at the station who assist on their days off with delivering Bikeabilit­y locally. It made sense to us that applying for the Cycling Friendly

Employer award would be a good idea.

“In the future we are hoping to expand our cycling facilities at Perth Community Fire Station to allow for even more bikes to be stored securely whilst our employees are at work.

“The demand is always increasing and it is fantastic to see so many enjoying their daily commute on their bikes.”

Roddy Ross, team leader with Perth and Kinross Council’s Safer Communitie­s Team, added: “Perth and Kinross Council is committed to promoting cycling and other forms of healthy and sustainabl­e travel for our staff and all of our residents. Our PKC Safer Communitie­s Team has embraced cycling to work and we hope this encourages others to consider leaving their cars at home for their commutes to work.

“The Wardens have been using the bikes for a few months now and find it gets them closer to people, gives them more mobility and keeps them fit.

“And the electric bikes are a great addition and certainly take the challenge out of the likes of Newhouse and Burghmuir Road.”

We hope this encourages others to consider leaving their cars at home for their commutes

 ??  ?? Cycling award Perth Community Fire Station has been rewarded for the way staff have taken up two wheels
Cycling award Perth Community Fire Station has been rewarded for the way staff have taken up two wheels

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