Volunteer Awards 2019 Finalist - Steven Nicholson

By Tom Page
A young boy riding a hand trike
Steven's amazing voluntary work brings a smile to everyone's face at Edinburgh ABC
Steven Nicholson is a finalist for the Exceptional Individual - Cycling Programme category at the 2019 Cycling UK Volunteer Awards. Steven regularly volunteers for Edinburgh All-ability Bike Centre (Edinburgh ABC), supporting their Sunday morning drop-in sessions. Through his hard work, Steven has helped countless people find joy through cycling, as well as sourced significant funding for Edinburgh ABC.

Created in 2015, Edinburgh ABC is an inclusive cycling scheme that aims to help everyone get cycling, regardless of age, background or ability.

As part of its regular programme, Edinburgh ABC runs several drop-in sessions throughout the week. These sessions are open to all and allow people to turn up and try cycling with a range of adaptive bikes. These specialist bikes come in all shapes and sizes, from tandems and side-by-sides to trikes and hand bikes. These allow individuals who would otherwise find it difficult to use a standard two-wheel bike to get a chance to experience the joy that cycling brings to so many people.

Steven Nicholson of Edinburgh ABC

Steven Nicholson volunteers at the centre's Sunday morning drop-in sessions. By taking the time to get to know new participants, Steven is able to use his extensive experience and knowledge to help get the most from the sessions.

From ensuring participants are matched with the best bicycle for their needs to inspiring them with his passion for cycling, Steven is able to make a huge difference to so many people's lives. Despite having a busy social life, a demanding full-time job and his own rigorous training schedule for competing in long-distance running events, Steven supports Edinburgh ABC with over 100 hours of his time each year. He's even got his partner, Kirsty, involved.

Over and above all his hard work and time, in 2018, Steven independently identified some possible additional funding from his employer, HSBC Bank. Taking on the onerous task of completing a funding application and presenting the case of the Edinburgh ABC to the decision panel, Steven was able to secure over £18,000 in funds! These additional funds were used to purchase additional adaptive bikes for the centre, enabling even more people to benefit from the its amazing work.

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