Over the last few weeks RUTS has been working with a group at Gorgie Mills School in Edinburgh who have been undertaking our MotoLearn programme. Here are some of the guys getting stuck into our ‘Fix Bike’ unit.

This week the RUTS Edinburgh mobile unit has been delivering harm reduction and community safety interventions in the Oxgangs area with pupils from Firrhill High School. Community Safety leader for the City of Edinburgh Council, Councillor Cammy Day, said: – “This is an excellent initiative that tackles issues that can seriously impact on community safety and wellbeing.”

Operation Cipher 3 is a four-week multi-agency programme, involving police, the council, RUTS and other bodies, which aims to combat a wide range of anti-social behaviour issues that can have a very negative impact on local communities.

RUTS promoting the road safety message to pupils.

RUTS workshop.

The dates of the next Level 1 (SQA Int 1) motorcycle mechanics courses at RUTS are:

Mondays starting 29th March for 8 weeks.

Wednesdays/Thursdays starting 1st / 2nd May for 4 weeks.

I’d be very grateful if you might circulate these as there are lots of places available.

Contact Pete on 0131 663 5736 or petemcd@ruts.org.uk

Its not finished yet but here are a couple of pics of the new workshop at RUTS

Bicycle service area

Our new and fully equipped bicycle workshop

RUTS Road to Success:Motorcycle Mechanics course information
Age Group 15 to 19
This ESF Priority 5 programme offers the participants the opportunity to complete various national vocational units including.
SQA Int 1 Use and Care of Hand Tools
SQA Int 2 Vehicle Servicing: Motorcycles
SCQF5 RUTS Ride Bike Unit
SQA Numeracy
SQA Employability Award
Here are the dates of the next courses available at RUTS.
Level 1 Training for Work. Mondays for 8 weeks starting 18th February 2013 (update 11/2/13 – now fully booked)

Level 1 Training for Work Wednesdays and Thursdays for 4 weeks starting 13th February 2013 (update 11/2/13 – spaces available)

*Places Available, it’s not too late to get on this one, phone or email me to book someone on to this

………………………………………………………………………………………………….

About the courses.

Level 1 = SQA Care and Use of Hand Tools unit Intermediate 1. Training towards Level 2 (SQA Motorcycle Servicing unit Intermediate 2).

Level 2 = SQA Motorcycle Servicing unit Intermediate 2 further training and assessment.

Location – RUTS Workshop – next to the Scottish Mining Museum, Newtongrange
Time – 10:00 – 3:00
Buses to get here: Lothian Buses 33 – Gorebridge and 29 – Gorebridge – every 20mins from the Bridges in Edinburgh – and they stop right outside RUTS

Simple Referral Process

• A referral is made using the RUTS referral form.
• The young persons name will be added to a course or to our waiting list.
• The referrer and the young person may make an informal visit to meet the staff at RUTS and let the young person see the set up.

For further details contact me,

Pete McDougall
RUTS ESF Co-ordinator

office. 0131 663 5736

mob. 07713 071170

petemcd@ruts.org.uk

RUTS is a company limited by guarantee registered in Scotland, No 105457.
Scottish Charity No SC011134

We are all back from a great festive break and raring to go at RUTS.
The workshop is currently full of young people and there is a real buzz about the place. Adam is now back in the workshop after a long spell on the road working on the Edinburgh Mobile and he is being ably assisted by new guy Mick Woods who is fitting in really well.
Sadly Mark Swales has left to ‘go back on the tools’ – thanks Mark, it was a pleasure working with you. We are all certain that you will be back !!!!

The whole staff team and the Board of Directors took part in a recent planning and strategy day which set out our plans and ambitions for the next few years at RUTS . Everyone got stuck in to the discussions and ideas and the RUTS passion for high quality work was in abundance.

So, all in all it has been a tremendous start to the RUTS year. Here’s to the future!

Friday the 7th of December 2012 was a very special day for everyone who is or has been involved with RUTS over the years as we celebrated 30 years of working with young people and helping them make positive changes in their lives.

Very many thanks to all of you who attended the event and the AGM and who continue to support our work, in particular we would like to thank the Wooden Spoon for providing the funding for the Wooden Spoon Bike Hub which was unveiled by Sean Lineen.

Scottish rugby legend Sean Lineen officially opens the Wooden Spoon Bike Hub at RUTS
(picture by Malcolm Cochrane Photography)

Our new Bike Hub with the RUTS and Wooden Spoon team!
(picture by Malcolm Cochrane photography)

The RUTS staff team in the new Bike Hub.
(picture by Malcolm Cochrane photography)

A special ‘Thank You’ also goes to Duncan White of Modus Building Services Ltd for his very generous donation.

Modus Building Services Ltd

Our AGM is on 7th of December this year. 4.00 pm at RUTS Newtongrange and everyone is welcome to come along.

More exciting details to follow soon.

Please drop us an email to info@ruts.org.uk if you are coming so we know to keep you a sandwich and nibbles!

RUTS in partnership with the Social Enterprise Academy are working with four Lothian schools whose pupils will all develop their own bicycle related social enterprise. Pupils from Liberton High, James Young High, Whitburn Academy and Broughton High all spent a few weeks of action research and then came together recently to pitch their ideas and decide which were the best ones to take forward.

After all of the great presentations and lots of hard work it was time to have some fun and great fun it was too, thanks to our friends at Xtreme Karting at Newbridge who hosted the event.

RUTS Youth Worker, Tara Mirza said ” I was extremely proud of what this enthusiastic group of young people have achieved in such a short space of time and I’m really looking forward to supporting them in developing their social enterprise ideas. Watch this space!”

RUTS social entrepreneurs in action! by Malcolm Cochrane Photography

Determination! by Malcolm Cochrane Photography

Budding social entrepreneurs. By Malcolm Cochrane Photography

A bit of paintball action too! By Malcolm Cochrane Photography

The winners! By Malcolm Cochrane Photography