Gartnavel General Hospital receives Cycle Friendly Employer Award

Gartnavel General Hospital to receive Cycle Friendly Employer Award

Photocall at 12.30: Hospital staff will pose with the award outside the main hospital foyer.

Staff at Gartnavel General Hospital have an extra reason to celebrate national Bike Week (17-25 June), as the hospital receives the Cycling Scotland Cycle Friendly Employer Award on Thursday 22 June.

The award was devised by Cycling Scotland as a way to encourage more people to cycle to work. To qualify, companies and organizations must provide facilities for workers arriving by bike. These include bike parking, showers and lockers.

Gartnavel General Hospital passed with flying colours and will be presented with their award by Cycling Scotland Chairman Brian Curtis at a ceremony which forms part of the hospital’s annual Bike Week celebrations.

Bike Week is the UK’s annual celebration of cycling, and aims to get more people cycling more often.

On Thursday, Health at Work are playing their part by sponsoring an Active Travel Breakfast for staff who walk or cycle to work.

And on the same day Strathclyde Police Community Safety Department will be issuing “Bike Passports” and providing information about cycle security and road safety.

Glasgow City Council’s Cycling Unit will be on site to give information and answer questions about cycling paths, routes, and other cycling assess issues, while the Common Wheel Project are hosting a bike clinic when staff can have a bike MOT and learn about repairs and maintenance issues.

Cycling Scotland Chairman Brian Curtis said: “We’re delighted to present Gartnavel Hospital with this award. It’s brilliant to see a health organisation like this working towards preventative measures to the problems created by physical inactivity, as well as providing the cures. Cycling 20 miles a week can halve the risk of a heart attack, and many other health problems. The staff at Gartnavel are setting a great example with this initiative.”

Clare Strain, Travel Planning Officer at Gartnavel General Hospital, said:
“Cycling is a key element of the Gartnavel Travel Plan which aims to encourage those who travel by car (staff, patients and visitors) who are able, to consider using alternative sustainable modes of transport to and from the hospital site.

“As well as getting fit and healthy, staff who cycle to work on a regular basis are also helping to implement the travel plan.”

Any other health boards, private companies and workplaces that want to become a Cycle Friendly Employer should contact Cycling Scotland at info@cyclingscotland.org.

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