Moray and Banffshire Heroes: Forres Active Travel’s work is commended with Green Hero award win
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Green Hero sponsored by The Springfield Group - Judith Binney
THE founder of Active Travel Forres (ATF), Judith Binney, was recognised for her own and the group’s efforts at the Moray and Banffshire Heroes awards on Thursday.
A desire to cut carbon emissions, improve health and keep children safe as they cycle or walk to school in Forres has grown into a successful initiative that is bringing real change to the town.
Judith first came up with the idea a few years ago to help create a network of interlinked, traffic-free passages, including safe routes for wheelchair users, cyclists, walkers and those with buggies and pushchairs - including shared paths and dropped kerbs.
She shared the findings with the council to take forward improvements and potential schemes to realise the actions needed.
Judith was unable to attend the awards in person, but expressed her surprise at the award win: “I was amazed and actually perplexed to find out that I had won the award.
“There are a lot of ‘Green Heroes’ doing a lot of good work, but I am in a small way proud of the work that we are doing.
“While I started this on my own, I could not have taken it further without the help and support of those who have come onboard with the group.
“My thanks go to the members of the group who have made it more than just a lone voice.”
Unable to attend the awards in person, James Brander from Active Travel Forres accepted the award on her behalf.
He said: "Judith had been attending various meetings in Forres and just got frustrated that things were supposed to be happening with cycling and they never materialised.
“She decided to set up Active Travel Forres with the aim of plugging the gaps in the routes in the town.
“The priority was linking these routes up and making it possible, particularly for children, to be able to cycle to school safely and not have parents needing to use cars.
“She set it up just over a year ago and in that short time there have been lots of great ideas, lots of work with Moray Council and things are happening.
“The whole green agenda is at Judith's heart, she lives her life that way.
“She is a keen cyclist and walker, so she has utilised the skills and beliefs that she has.
“We have about 30 members now in the group, we have had our first annual general meeting and it is definitely well established.
“She works so hard and she is passionate about this and I know by her efforts that the plans we have will come to fruition because of her dogged dedication to it."
