A community group in Aberdeenshire is getting more young people into mountain biking thanks to funding raised by players of People’s Postcode Lottery and delivered through the grassroots sports charity Sported.

Ride in Peace Adventures (RIPA), led by founder Chris Roper, is helping young people get on their bikes and enjoy the outdoors. The sessions, which started in early June, saw 16 young people get the opportunity to try mountain biking at RIPA’s Deeside Activity Park trails.

“I thought with this option of getting a grant, that we could provide an opportunity for those that maybe haven’t ridden a bike for a while, don’t have access to a bike or aren’t sure about it and want to try it,” Roper says.

“We’re hoping that when things are funded, people have more of an opportunity. Money’s not a barrier, bikes aren’t a barrier, the riding area isn’t a barrier.”

Working with Sported, players of People’s Postcode Lottery have supported 100 groups and clubs, including RIPA, with grants of £1,000.

RIPA has used their grant to provide two free mountain biking programmes as part of the Aboyne Academy extra-curricular activities.

Both programmes are four sessions long with the first open to S1-6 pupils that haven’t tried mountain biking before or have tried previously but no longer have access to their own bike.

The second is a girls-only programme led by a female instructor. These sessions will offer S1-6 girls the opportunity to participate in a dedicated block of mountain biking.

Roper continues: “Having a female lead the session hopefully inspires and shows them that they can do these things not only as a bit of fun, but they can make a career out of it or enjoy it the same as everyone else and have the same opportunities as the others around them.”

RIPA’s outreach has opened the door to teens who haven’t tried mountain biking before or have tried previously but no longer have access to their own bike. 

And the feedback from the participants has been what Roper would have hoped for, showing that providing the opportunity and platform for them to have a go is all they needed.

One of the beneficiaries comments: “bikes are awesome, it’s so good to get out to ride”, whilst another says: “it was fun trying to ride the ramps, good to get on to the trails.”

Reflecting off the back of the girls-only session, one participant adds: “nice to meet and ride with other girls, to try something new.”

“Funding is a challenge for groups across Scotland and the UK,” said Sported’s Scotland Manager Ailidh Hood.  

“The cost of sessions, equipment and travel to activities can be a barrier to participants. However, funding like this, raised by players of People’s Postcode Lottery, makes a vital difference to organisations such as RIPA in making sessions accessible for the people they work with.”

Through being part of the Sported network, which includes nearly 350 groups and organisations across Scotland, RIPA can access grants, funding information, expert guidance and resources, as well as in person support from the Sported field team.

“It’s been great,” Roper adds. “I’ve had a few one-to-one chats online and then you can find some additional support with my questions, which is really always to do with funding.

“I had some good meetings and e-mail with lots of notes from someone that Hannah [part of Sported Scotland’s Field Team] put me in touch with for a bit of expert guidance to help navigate some legalities and the opportunities.”

To understand more about the partnership between Sported and the People’s Postcode Lottery, visit www.sported.org.uk/peoples-postcode-lottery where you’ll also be able to find out more about Sported’s activities in supporting grassroots sport across Scotland and the UK.