2024 has been a busy year for the Trinity Active Travel Hub. Our Stroll With It walks have continued weekly in the Garnock Valley, Kilwinning, Irvine and the Three Towns and fortnightly on Arran. We have welcomed a few more volunteer walk leaders who give up their time to lead or support the walks. The walks have attracted over 1000 attendances across North Ayrshire this year. With the support of Stevenston library we have extended our Nordic Walking programme into the Three Towns. The sessions take place once a fortnight in both Irvine and Stevenston. We have provided Nordic walking sessions at the Ayrshire Central Hospital and Crosshouse Hospital supporting their wellbeing programmes. We also took our poles off to Glebe Primary School organising sessions for all the pupils in the P5, 6 and 7 classes; and also to Ayrshire College. Over the course of the year Nordic walkers have attended walks 340 times.
In September, the Trinity Active Travel Hub coordinated the Ayrshire Walking and Wheeling Festival which took place across North, South and East Ayrshire. Walks were hosted or supported by 33 different organisations and over 550 people attended the 54 walks on offer. From Glen Rosa to Dean Castle Country Park and the Garnock Valley to the rolling hills of Ayrshire there was a walk to suit all abilities. Young nature lovers explored Eglinton Country Park whilst teenagers had fun on the Ayrshire Coastal Path. Some hardy souls rambled up Blaeloch Hill, others explored the art within the Alloway tunnel, and some improved their navigation skills using an app on their phones. There were health walks, Nordic walks, history walks and hikes – something for everyone.
Of course, it wasn’t just about walking, our cycling activities were busy too. We continued to support the Beith Community Trust monthly cycle rides with one of the Trinity volunteers leading these and also leading e- bike rides in the Garnock Valley. We also provided cycle rides for inexperienced and more confident cyclists. We ran a series of Dr Bike sessions teaming up with KA Leisure using their venues across North Ayrshire and we also ran four cycle maintenance classes. Bronze Velotech training was arranged for volunteers and our Equal Employment colleagues to support their bike recycling scheme and the Trinity also supported Dalry Men’s Shed to attain their Gold Velotech Awards.
The team has provided individual and small group cycle skills training and learn to ride sessions for adults and at the other end of the age range have also provided balance bike sessions for pre-5’s accompanied by an adult who can support their further practice. We have supported staff and volunteers at Arran Eco savvy to take Cycle Activity Training supporting their cycle work on the island and helping them to extend their offer to people with disabilities. Around 250 people attended the cycling events this year.
We have also been providing information stalls in libraries across North Ayrshire since July to establish a programme of new outreach activities in 2025 when changes are afoot for the Trinity building. In the early spring KA Leisure will be moving into the Trinity to utilise the office space, with the Trinity team moving to Council HQ at Cunninghame House. Early discussions with KA Leisure regarding using the building for activities have been positive and we hope to be carrying out our active travel and behaviour change activities from the Trinity Active Travel Hub for the foreseeable future.