Radio City Association (RCA) received £28,356 through our Smarter Choices, Smarter Places (SCSP) COP26 Legacy Fund. The funding will support the development of behaviour change projects across Garnock Valley which encourage and promote a change to everyday travel behaviours, including walking, wheeling, cycling and sustainable transport for everyday journeys in the local communities of Beith, Dalry, and Kilbirnie.
Scott Wilson, the Community Development Manager at Radio City Association said:
The funding from SCSP will help expand our ongoing work to give local people more opportunities to make journeys that benefit both their own health and the health of the planet.
Throughout all aspects of our work we’re looking to engage with users, raise awareness about the climate emergency, as well as increase active travel use.
The 20-minute neighbourhood concept will bring many benefits to the local area with people becoming active, improving their mental and physical health; traffic is reduced, and air quality improved; local shops and businesses thrive; and people see more of their neighbours, strengthening community bonds.
It all comes back down to active travel and trying to encourage people to rethink their modes of transport in becoming healthier and greener, so we’re hoping the facilities and options we are inputting into Garnock Valley will help in doing this.
We’re all locals so it’s great to see this innovative work being done and to think the community will begin to reap the revenue generated from community owned renewable energy projects is rewarding.
The funding offers Radio City Association a unique opportunity to create a bespoke role which will see Dalry local, Logan Burns, embark on an SVQ in Business & Administration. Logan will also enjoy a variety of valuable skills courses offered through a modern apprenticeship.
Logan Burns (23) said:
It’s a privilege to secure a role aligned to my own passion for promoting sustainability and making a positive impact on the climate emergency.
My main responsibility is working with disadvantaged groups in the area to promote sustainable travel, while developing a Mobility as a Service (MaaS) app and organising the hiring of ebikes and electric cars.
The funding will also help with the development of a mobility hub concept. Mobility hubs are spaces which provide accessible travel solutions, and provide information, engagement opportunities and facilities to encourage local communities and visitors to travel more actively. These developments will see the integration of a 20-minute neighbourhood – a popular and emerging concept centred around a connected system where people can meet their essential needs within a short walk. wheel, scoot or cycle from their home.
Developments will also include an outdoor gym with our Strength and Balance panels, the launch of a mobility app and operating electronic vehicles. Combined, these solutions aim to inspire sustainable transport behaviour change amongst local communities and tackle wider environmental issues in the local area.
The app named Ready Steady Go! is a new initiative which sees QR codes placed on benches around the valley that will link to mental health resources as well as area awareness.
The project is part of the wider Electric Valley ambition developing renewable energy assets that will be in community ownership used to reinvest into improving local transport and the mobility hub which is completing a Community Asset Transfer.
Graham McQueen, our Smarter Choices, Smarter Places Manager said:
Radio City Association is making a massive difference in Garnock Valley and its contribution will be important for years to come.
This work is a blueprint for how groups can work collaboratively with members of the community and empower them with the knowledge, skills and confidence to sustain long term behaviour changes.
RCA is one of six projects in Scotland to benefit from our SCSP COP26 Legacy Fund - a one-off fund set up during the 2021 COP26 climate summit in Glasgow. Support and funding allows the group to improve the lives of people living in Garnock Valley.
Our SCSP programme, supported by Transport Scotland, supports public, third and community-sector organisations with the delivery of active and sustainable projects which encourage people to travel actively and sustainably by walking, wheeling, cycling for short journeys, or combing these with public transport for longer journeys.
In 2022/23 our Open Fund will provide £5Million of grant support – between £5,000 to £50,000 per project - to organisations across Scotland. We welcome ambitious projects which seek to inspire behaviour change and encourage people to travel in a more sustainable way. To discuss how we can support you, please get in touch with the team at scsp@pathsforall.org.uk.
For further information about our Open Fund, visit www.pathsforall.org.uk/open-fund.