A £125,000 cycling pot still has more than half of its total available to pay out, it has emerged.

Following a series of awards connected to the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships in the summer, the Scottish Borders Community Cycling Fund still has money available for local community groups, organisations and event businesses.

From the original £125,000 Scottish Borders Council fund, £74,000 remains.

The aim of the pot is to create a lasting benefit from the Cycling World Championships, which took place in Glasgow and across Scotland in August, including the Tweed Valley.

Grants of between £3,000 and £15,000 are available, but applications must be received by the end of January 2024 at the latest.

Councillor Euan Jardine, the leader of Scottish Borders Council, said: “The Community Cycling Fund aims to support the delivery of local community cycling events and activities and has already helped to deliver a variety of events.

“We really want to encourage and inspire new and existing cyclists, get more people cycling and especially encourage cycling within under-represented groups, including children and young people, girls and women.

“Some funds are still available, so I’d encourage anyone with an idea for an event or activity that helps achieve these aims to get in touch.”

The fund can be used to connect and add value to existing cycling initiatives, programmes, events and infrastructure to promote and celebrate the 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships and the power of the bike.

More information can be found at www.scotborders.gov.uk/cyclingfund

The fund helped support Live Borders’ Borders Bike Fest at Riverside Rest in Peebles, the ‘We are Innerleithen’ photography exhibition arranged by The Hub CIC, and Adrenalin Uplift’s ‘World’s Weekender’ event in Innerleithen.

All took place during August, around the Cycling World Championships.

Chris Bryant, from Live Borders, said: “I’m really pleased to have been able to bring together local clubs, businesses and cyclists for the fun, family orientated Borders Bike Fest as part of the Cycling World Championships fan zone at Tweed Green.

“Live Borders Sport and Development used the Community Cycling Scheme from Scottish Borders Council to deliver over 250 places for free activities and hundreds more free drop-in activities.

£With a good proportion of the British team at the mountain bike events at the Championships coming from the Borders I’m hopeful that a few future champions will have been inspired to keep pedalling by our Borders Bike Fest.”