TWEEDLOVE is the latest event in the region to have funding confirmed and awarded to the tune of £35,000, as part of the Homecoming Scotland 2014 programme.

The bike festival will take place between May 24 to June 8, joining Return to the Ridings (June 1 to August 30) which was announced as part of the funded events programme of Homecoming Scotland earlier in the year.

The most recent events to join in the Homecoming Scotland 2014 partner programme are Borders Rail 2014 (August 16 to 17) Borders Book Festival (June 12 to 15) Darnick Village Hall Concert (May 10) Melrose Sevens (April 11 to 12) Eyemouth Herring Queen Festival (July 5 to 12) Peebles Highland Games (September 6) and Selkirk MTB Marathon (May 9 to 11) who have recently become included in Scotland’s largest events party.

Paula McDonald, Regional Director of VisitScotland, said: “I’m delighted that this latest funding of £35,000 for TweedLove Bike Festival has been confirmed as this is such an exciting event to be in the Homecoming Scotland 2014 calendar.

“Next year Scotland welcomes the world with key events such as the Commonwealth Games and Ryder Cup and the Scottish Borders is playing an important part in the impressive Homecoming Scotland 2014 events programme which will help entice even more visitors to this great part of Scotland next year.” By being involved in the partner programme these events will benefit from aligning themselves to the Homecoming brand which is being marketed by VisitScotland on a world-wide scale.

The Homecoming Scotland impressive year-round programme of activity will complement the Ryder Cup and Commonwealth Games and is being promoted though all VisitScotland’s international and UK marketing campaigns.

Councillor Vicky Davidson, Executive Member for Culture, Sport, Youth and Communities at Scottish Borders Council, said: “TweedLove is a fantastic celebration of everything fund to do on a bike and it is fast becoming the must attend event for bike lovers across the UK. It has grown at phenomenal speed and showcases the tremendous bike-riding country we have here in the Borders. The funding from Homecoming Scotland recognises the continuing success of TweedLove, which in 2014 will run over two week and host the UK’s first ever round of the Enduro World Series.”