WestCycle grant to help get more children riding to school in Western Australia

The Western Australian Government has announced a $300,000 WestCycle grant to help get more Western Australian children riding to school. The grant also aims to encourage low participation groups such as seniors, people with disability, and female cyclists.

The Schools Participation Program will empower teachers to deliver bike riding education and skill activities to students so they can feel confident riding to school.

As well as huge physical health benefits, bike riding helps children develop important life skills such as resilience, problem solving and independence.

The program is one of four targeted initiatives to share in the $300,000 grant under WestCycle's More People Riding Bikes More Often project. The funding will be spread across three years.

Other initiatives include an online Women on Wheels community hub and women-only workshops to reduce the barriers for female participation in bike riding, promotion of e-bikes and trikes for seniors and people with disability, and the development of campaigns to encourage more people to ride to work.

WA Sport and Recreation Minister David Templeman notes "while cycling has gained huge popularity in recent years, the percentage of WA kids riding to school has dropped significantly over the past few decades.

"Riding offers so many physical and mental health benefits and I'd love to see more kids finding the confidence and independence to ride to school again.”

Minister Templeman added that he was thrilled that State Government's $300,000 grant will also encourage low participation groups such as seniors, people with disability, and female cyclists.

The grant will also help WestCycle deliver recommendations under the Western Australian Mountain Bike Strategy 2022-2032 to guide the development of mountain bike activities and trails development. For more information visit westcycle.org.au