NHS Fife has been awarded the prestigious Cycling Friendly Employer Award in recognition of its efforts to support staff commuting by bikes to and from their place of work.
The Cycling Friendly Employer Award is a nationally recognised program run by Cycling Scotland. It encourages organisations to make cycling to work and at work easier for their staff.
NHS Fife received Cycling Scotland’s accreditation in recognition of its commitment to supporting staff cycling and creating a cycle-friendly environment at Victoria Hospital. This included safe bike storage, a new cycle-to-work programme, which enabled staff to purchase bikes at a reduced price, and the development of a staff forum to discuss active and sustainable travel.
“Cycling offers a variety of benefits and this accreditation from Cycling Scotland underlines NHS Fife’s commitment to staff health and wellbeing.” said Kathryn Hastie, Sustainability Officer. “We also recognise our responsibilities in terms of environmental sustainability and by encouraging cycling, we help reduce traffic and congestion in and around our hospital sites, improving the environment and minimising our carbon footprint.”
Achieving cycling friendly employer status would not have been possible without NHS Fife’s strong partnership with local charity, Greener Kirkcaldy. In addition to offering free regular bike maintenance and safety checks by experienced mechanics, Greener Kirkcaldy also offered cycle training at beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels for healthcare staff in Fife. Greener Kirkcaldy also sourced a small fleet of e-bikes, which it will continue to maintain and repair.
Ralph Jessop, Development Worker (Cycling Outreach) at Greener Kirkcaldy, added: “NHS Fife are enthusiastic about encouraging staff to cycle to and from work and we’re pleased to be supporting their ongoing work at Victoria Hospital.
”Shifting from cars to bikes has clear environmental benefits and can also make people feel healthier and happier. Hopefully the improvements we have created together will encourage more NHS Fife staff to cycle to and from work.”
For more information on the Cycling Friendly Employer Award, visit the Cycling Scotland website, at: www.cycling.scot.
Photo:
(left to right): Kathryn Hastie - NHS Fife; Chris Walker - Cycling Scotland; and Ralph Jessop - Greener Kirkcaldy
Notes to Editors:
Greener Kirkcaldy is a community-led charity working locally to bring people together, take positive action on the climate emergency and support people through fuel poverty and food insecurity. Based in the heart of Kirkcaldy – with a community building, training kitchen, bike shop and garden – Greener Kirkcaldy carries out activities across Kirkcaldy and works with partners to deliver projects across Fife.
