TWEEDLOVE, the Tweed Valley cycling festival launched in 2010, has been awarded funding from EventScotland to boost the week-long programme of biking events from 11-19 June 2011.
The huge potential of the festival has also been recognised by Scottish Borders Council, who are supporting this year’s activity as one of a number of cycling events they are backing in the area.
Although the full details of this year’s extended programme are yet to be announced, organisers have planned some major new events to add to the busy roster of open races, guided rides and social gatherings.
A new, seven-hour endurance mountain bike event, The Glentress Seven, will be held at Forestry Commission Scotland’s 7stanes Glentress, one the UK’s best trail centres, with a course featuring normally unavailable trails and some new sections created especially for the event.
For road riders, an all new ‘evening criterium’ will be staged in Peebles’ town centre and an exciting new concert, the perfect ‘apres bike’ get together, will be the bike week’s finale event.
EventScotland, the national events agency, is funding TweedLove 2011 through their National Funding Programme. An award of more than £10,000 will be used to promote and improve the festival programme.
Paul Bush OBE, chief operating officer for EventScotland, said: “TweedLove is an excellent example of events that we fund through the National Funding Programme across the country.
“It has something for everyone and we feel the mix of sport, music and film will attract a wide range of locals and visitors to the area with the potential to grow year on year.”
Organiser, Neil Dalgleish, owner of design and marketing firm, Hillside Agency, said: “We’re delighted that the potential of TweedLove has been recognised nationally through EventScotland’s support. The challenge now is to make this year’s festival another great success.
“Most of the events in the TweedLove programme are free and open to all, so we hope they’ll attract not only locals but also more visitors to the area.”
Organiser, Emma Guy, from The Hub at Glentress, said: “It’s fantastic that we’re getting the opportunity grow TweedLove.
“We got off to a great start last summer, and we are looking forward to taking it up a level. However, we are still look for more support to get it all working smoothly.”
The programme will again feature some big guided rides, both on and off the roads, a film night, dual slalom, barbecue and a series of informal ride-outs, where local riders host visitors on some of their favourite trails.
Neil Dalgleish added: “Last year, we were amazed at the community spirit that was so aparent at TweedLove.
“Biking is a big part of life in the Tweed Valley and that’s what this festival is all about.
“We hope the extended programme will encourage more local people and visitors to take part. We’re also looking for volunteers to help with some of the events.”
For more information on TweedLove go to: www.tweedlove.com
Media contact:
Paddy Cuthbert | Podge Publicity | M: 07968699636 | e: paddy@podge.co.uk
Organiser contacts:
Neil Dalgleish | Hillside Design | M: 07796 173939
Emma Guy | The Hub In the Forest | M: 07872 991721
Notes for editors:
TweedLove – A Week of Bike Riding and Good Times in the Tweed Valley -
Tweed Valley – 11- 19 June 2011
Background to TweedLove
The first TweedLove bike festival was held in the summer of 2010 with the aim of reinforcing the area’s reputation as one of the premier cycling destinations in the UK.
It was a real success with well over 1,000 cyclists taking par, from across the UK and as far afield as Spain and Sweden. Some events sold-out and others were over-subscribed.
In 2010, the festival received no public agency funding and was organised on a voluntary basis, with most of the events free to take part in.
The two main organisers were design firm, Hillside Agency, and the Glentress-based, Hub in the Forest, with huge amounts of essential local volunteers.
There was also support from the Tweed Valley Consortium, several local businesses, the Borders Recreational Cycling Project and cycling brands Kona, Endura and Orange.
TweedLove has just been registered on the new Event Team Scotland site so anyone interested in volunteering should either contact us on: www.tweedlove.com or register on: www.eventteamscotland.com
EventScotland
EventScotland is the national events agency.
EventScotland is working to make Scotland one of the world’s leading event destinations. By developing an exciting portfolio of sporting and cultural events EventScotland is helping to raise Scotland’s international profile and boost the economy by attracting more visitors.
The Year of Active Scotland is a Scottish Government initiative being delivered by EventScotland and VisitScotland which begins on the 1st January 2011. For more information go to www.eventscotland.org/activescotland
For further information about EventScotland, its funding programmes and latest event news visit www.EventScotland.org
EventScotland in partnership with Volunteer Development Scotland is delivering Event Team Scotland, a new web – based portal which matches volunteers across Scotland with exciting sporting and cultural events.
For more information, please visit www.eventteamscotland.com
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Contact: Paddy Cuthbert
Email: paddy@podge.co.uk
Website: http://www.tweedlove.com
