Annie is currently working for Sustrans in Edinburgh. Kathy Bashford is delivering Pedal&Scoot.
I have loved cycling since childhood; playing out in the back yard, cycling round the block, gradually cycling further & further away from home and becoming more independent.
As teenagers, my brother and I would take off on our bikes for a few miles around the quiet lanes from Lancaster, through Caton and Littledale; this is still my favourite doorstep ride. After leaving school, I cycled with my mum through the Outer Hebrides. I commuted by bike to university in Leeds, and have arrived at workplaces under my own steam for years. My partner and I recently pedalled 450 miles from Carlisle to Inverness, which we found exhausting yet addictive, and would do it again tomorrow!
I set up Pedal & Scoot in 2013 and feel very lucky to be inspiring others to cycle. I have 14 years’ experience of delivering and managing school and community projects for environmental organisations; TCV, Peak District National Park, Earth Trust and Sustrans. In addition, I have a PGCE in primary education, and I am a qualified National Standard Cycling Instructor.
I enjoy working with people of all ages, and running Pedal & Scoot allows me to combine this with my passion for the outdoors and for promoting health and well-being. I am a patient, fun and approachable teacher, and always make sure that people are challenged at their own level. I adapt my teaching strategies to develop a rapport, make people feel at ease, and build confidence. I believe that it’s never to late to learn to ride. I have been told that I work miracles when helping people to cycle for the first time! Don’t just take my word for it – see what Pedal & Scoot participants have said in the case studies.
