AN INNOVATIVE initiative pioneered in the Wee County to encourage active travel to school is celebrating its five year milestone.

Environmental charity Forth Environment Link (FEL) Scotland opened the country's first active travel hub at Lornshill Academy in 2019 and has been inspiring pupils, teachers and the wider community to lead more active lives.

Five years on, the Clacks academy is reporting cycling rates nearly seven times the national average for secondary schools at nine per cent - against the average of 1.3 per cent.

Since launching the first school-based hub, with financial support from Paths for All's Open Fund, FEL has successfully expanded the project across the Forth Valley.

Funds from Paths for All’s Active Nation Fund have enabled the charity to open hubs at Alloa Academy as well as Bannockburn High, Balfron High and Larbert High in neighbouring Stirling.

Jodie Murdoch, project co-ordinator, said: “Our hubs are strategically situated within secondary schools with the aim of not only transforming the travel culture within the school community, but also reaching and influencing the catchment primary schools and the broader community.

“As community anchor institutions, our high schools play a pivotal role in promoting healthier modes of travel and nurturing a shared ethos of environmental stewardship and wellbeing."

Indeed, in a video produced last September as funding was announced to expand the programme, Lornshill Academy's Stuart Steel – faculty head for design and technology – explained how teachers and pupils alike have realised the benefits of active modes of travel.

He said at the time: “In terms of the schoolchildren in terms of travel, we've certainly upskilled their knowledge, attitudes and beliefs to active travel.

“There is certainly a growing awareness of the benefits not only physically but the mental health and wellbeing benefits that active travel have.”

To lead the transformation of travel culture, FEL has assigned a dedicated full-time project officer to each of the schools it works with.

Jodie added: “Our school hub officers lead a diverse range of daily activities, including guided rides and walks, outdoor health and wellbeing sessions, bike maintenance classes, active travel taster sessions, nature walks, primary transition work, and even skateboarding!

“These opportunities to be more physically active have been extended to the wider community too through our Community Bike Library and Community Skills Academy."

The environmental charity is optimistic that the success for the hubs, which all started at Lornshill, will attract further funding to roll the programme out to schools across Scotland.

Clara Walker, FEL executive director, said: “We’re currently working with over 4,000 young people, so just think of the potential for people and planet if this tried and tested model was to be scaled up.

“We warmly invite schools and local authorities interested in learning more to reach out to us."