FEL's Story
Forth Environment Link (FEL) is a Scottish environmental charity, based in the Forth Valley. FEL began as the Kippen Nature Club in 1989 with the aim of teaching children about biodiversity and nature. Today, the charity is leading the way in connecting people and place on actions which make a positive response to the Climate Emergency. We support more day-to-day journeys on foot or by bike; we encourage more local food to be grown and eaten in our communities; and we help increase the lifespan of our everyday items.
As part of FEL, Stirling's and Falkirk's Active Travel Hub encourage and support people to walk, cycle and wheel for everyday journeys, such as commuting, going to the shops and going to school. We are passionate about the benefits of incorporating walking and cycling and other modes of active travel into everyday journeys to improve health for the individual and the environment for the community.
Our mission is to increase the number of active travel journeys made in Forth Valley by improving skills, knowledge, confidence and access to bikes.
Useful Learnings from FEL
Partnership working is key. Get in touch with other organisations, businesses and communities in your local area, share your message and collaborate!
Practise what you preach. Our eBikes and eCargo bikes are constantly roaming the streets in the hands of customers, volunteers or key workers. It is vital to increase active travel's public profile and normalise the practices we want to see.
Connect with your local school. Establish contact with the head teacher and attempt to maintain a presence during assemblies or lunch breaks. Educate and try to win the children over, and the parents will follow suit.
Monitor your success and learn from your mistakes. Dedicate some time to creating a robust data collection method as part of every project. That will help you repeat successes and avoid repeating mistakes.
FEL's Metrics
We measure how successful our hubs are by collecting data from projects delivered.
This can be either through written feedback, testimonials, surveys and/or noting how many people are attending.
We also keep an eye on the number of visitors our hubs are attracting.
