Stirling's Green Champions

January 2012

Colin Sinclair
Cycling enthusiast and leader

Stirling's Colin Sinclair has always loved bikes but his work in promoting cycling to others led GCNS's Gavin Smith to nominate him. "The four-mile commute from Grampian Road to the university is no problem," he said. Now he hoping to attract others on a "Cycle Train" from Cambusbarron to the university. "My reasons for cycling are simple," he added. "I feel better prepared for working when I arrive in the morning and the return trip allows me to wind down perfectly after a busy day." He was was instrumental in setting up St Ninians Primary School's Travel Plan and was an important and inspiring voice at GCNS'ss Cycling Strategy meeting at Viewforth in January 2011.

December 2011

Nikki Kenn
Kippen renewables pioneer

LIVING in a rural area with no mains gas supply can be a costly business. That's why it makes sense to follow the example of Nikki Kenn. She was nominated as GCNS Green Champion by Simon Gooden. Nikki, husband Dave and their two young children live on the outskirts of Kippen in the 300-year-old Redgate Hill Cottage. Their home has been transformed. "Before we started work, it was in a terrible state, freezing cold and close to ruin," said Nikki. "Now it's toasty, so warm and dry." Along with insulation measures, they installed an efficient biomass boiler that has halved the bills they used to pay when using oil. "It's cheaper to run on wood pellets," said Nikki. "Because it's low carbon, it's a 'feelgood' kind of heat." Nikki also organised a "Green Doors" event in Kippen for GCNS.

November 2011

Mairi Mcintosh
Dedicated cycle commuter

Doune's Mairi Mcintosh finds time to keep fit while being a busy working mum by cycling to work at Stirling University each day. She was nominated to be GCNS's Green Champion by another keen cyclist, Bridget Clark of Dunblane. "She cycles in all year round and her boys (aged 5, 7 and 9) all learned to ride their bikes on the popular Sustrans cycle path from Doune halfway to Dunblane," said Bridget. Mairi was delighted to be named Green Champion - and she thanked GCNS for helping her draw up a cycle travel plan for Doune.

September 2011

Kitty Zandere
Junior Publicity Officer

EASILY the youngest Green Champion named so far by Going Carbon Neutral Stirling is September's choice of nine-year-old Kitty Zandere. She played a crucial role in helping GCNS attract big numbers - over 450 - to their Big Bike Fun Day 2 at Forthside. When Kitty, of Wallace Street, picked up a promotional leaflet about the event, she asked her mum to get it photocopied and she then distributed it to all her friends at Riverside Primary School. When Emily Harvey of GCNS heard about Kitty's efforts, she immediately thought that she deserved the Green Champion accolade. The whole team agreed and, at Big Bike Fun Day 2 on August 27, GCNS programme manager Rachel Nunn handed over a special certificate to the youngster (see picture).

July 2011

Susan Jones
Stirling University Nature Society

As the president of the university nature society for almost all her four years of study at Stirling, Susan Jones has done more than most in such a short time to promote environmental issues and biodiversity. She was nominated by both Simon Gooden and Emily Harvey and was delighted to be told of the honour, just a couple of weeks after she graduated in Conservation Biology and Management. She has worked closely with GCNS and other bodies such as SNH, the RSPB and the Bumblebee Conservation Trust. And she has seen the start of many initiatives to make the Stirling campus more environmentally friendly.