FREE SUMMER CREATIVE WORKSHOPS
Pictured on Stirling’s historic Broad Street – where the world’s best cyclists will embark on their sprint finish in the Individual Time Trials – are children from Allan’s Primary School, Cllr Chris Kane and Abbie Lois, illustrator and arts workshop facilitator.
Free summer holiday workshops have been arranged for Stirling’s pupils to create banners and flags for the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships.
Stirling will stage the Individual Time Trials from Wednesday 9 August to Friday 11 August for all categories – Men Elite, Women Elite, U23 Men and Men and Women Juniors.
The art workshops will be held in communities along the routes and will give children and young people the opportunity to design banners and signs to wave as the world’s best cyclists pass by during three days of thrilling racing.
Stirling Council Leader, Cllr Chris Kane said: “This is going to be the biggest sporting event in Stirling’s history and it’s incredibly exciting that we’re just over a month away until the action gets underway on 9 August.
“These free workshops will be a great opportunity for our young people to learn about the races passing through their communities in a fun and creative environment.
“By hosting these world-class events we want to encourage more people of all ages to take up cycling and get more active, and it would be fantastic to see Stirling’s children and young people lining the routes in August to get inspired by the power of the bike.”
The drop-in workshops are open to children aged 5-14 and will be supported by artists from Creative Stirling and GOSSIP Collective, with some part of the Council’s Play in the Park events.
Children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian at all times at the sessions, which will take place at these locations at the following dates and times:
Fintry – 12 July (11am-3pm). Part of the Play in the Park event that is being held at Fintry Sports Club Grounds.
Cambusbarron – 17 July (11am-3pm). Part of the Play in the Park event that is being held at the King George Play Area.
Kippen – 26 July (10am-12pm) at Kippen Reading Rooms.
Gargunnock – 26 July (1.30-3.30pm) at Gargunnock Community Centre.
Raploch – 27 July (10am-12pm) at Raploch Community Campus.
Stirling city centre – 27 July (1.30-3.30pm) in the Tolbooth Attic.
Thornhill - 4 August (11am-3pm). Part of the Play in the Park event that is being held at Thornhill Play Area.
Covering up to 48km of roads, the Individual Time Trials will see riders set off from the King’s Knot in the shadow of Stirling Castle, before heading out west into the countryside and looping back into Stirling’s historic city centre, with a sprint through the city to the finish on the Castle esplanade.
Allan’s Primary is based in the heart of Stirling’s historic city centre with riders passing the school on their way to the sprint finish at the Castle.
Lindsey Howland, Headteacher at Allan’s Primary School said: “We are delighted that our school will feature in the final sprint finish to the castle which will share the heart of Stirling to audiences across the world.
“Cycling is a firm favourite in our school as we continue to promote and develop our children’s love of cycling through the Bikeability and Play on Pedals initiatives, and the children are really excited about the events coming to Stirling in August.”
The 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships will be the single biggest cycling event in history, involving more than 8000 athletes from 120 countries, with the 13 existing UCI Cycling World Championships brought together into one mega event for the first time.
The anticipated one billion global TV audience will place the event in the top-10 most watched sporting events in the world, rivalling the Olympics and Commonwealth Games and placing Scotland and Stirling on the world stage as a destination for elite cycling and cycle tourism.
More information is available at www.stirling.gov.uk/ucichamps and the full event schedule can be accessed by visiting: www.cyclingworldchamps.com.
For further details on Stirling Council’s Play in the Park events this summer, please head here. For any enquiries please email: play@stirling.gov.uk