Kidical Mass North (Inverness) will hold first anniversary ride through the city on Saturday

Organisers of a monthly event to raise awareness about the importance of cycling will celebrate its first anniversary this weekend.

Kidical Mass North (Inverness) was created last year following a debate about the Spaces for People in Inverness city centre.

It will start on Saturday at 1.30pm and participants will travel from Bellfield park, by the band stand, and finish by the Highland Archive Centre around 2.15pm.

The group was the first official Kidical Mass group in Scotland and it aims to give a voice to the next generation – organisers say children today do not have the privilege of playing on the streets or cycling on quiet roads as older generations had.

A spokesman said: "They have less freedom to get around safely to see their friends or to get to school independently.

"The Kidical Mass rides aim to give children the opportunity to cycle with others to increase confidence and have a great time, while also raising awareness of the need for better and safer cycling infrastructure so that children and less confident adults can make healthy travelling choices that also safeguard the health of our planet."

Over the past year the group has held eight rides in groups varying in size from 50 to 250 participants as well as two virtual rides over the winter when Covid restrictions and weather conditions prevented large group rides.

The spokesman said: "We have gained support from local councillors, health professionals, local groups including Inverness Cathedral, HighLife Highland, UHI, as well as national groups such as Cycling UK Scotland and Friends of the Earth Scotland.

"One year ago we were the only Kidical Mass group in Scotland, but since then other groups have formed in Edinburgh, Perth, Dundee and Aberdeen."

Jim Densham, campaigns and policy manager for Cycling UK in Scotland, said: "Children need safe space on the roads so they can cycle to school and have the freedom to live happy and healthy lives. Kidical Mass North has been doing an excellent job over the past year to highlight this need for safe space for cycling in Inverness and we call on councillors and the Highland Council to act now to make cycle lanes a priority for investment.’

Inverness-based GP Andrew Dallas said: "Kidical Mass is not only fun and uplifting, it also draws together several vital messages of our time: Active Travel improves our health and wellbeing; improved air quality improves our health; climate change mitigation and health go hand in hand; this is about our children's future."

Later in the autumn they will be holding some workshops to help people improve their cycling skills and bike maintenance – find out more by coming along to the ride or looking us up on social media.

The spokesman said: "We aim to be as inclusive as we possibly can be. All ages and abilities welcome and we love to see as many different types of bikes, trikes, adapted bikes, trailers, cargo bikes or scooters joining in. We also have a passenger trike for those who are unable to ride but wish to join in."

Do you want to respond to this article? If so, click here to submit your thoughts and they may be published in print.