Pedals

Last month, a Glow Ride took place in Nottingham!  Happening across the UK, Nottingham hosted a ride as part of Cycling UK’s current campaign called “MyRide.  OurRight” which sought to highlight a significant barrier to cycling – poorly litstreets, unpopulated areas and parks can feel intimidating at insight, disproportionately so for women.

Reflecting on the impact of the Glow Ride last month, which has resonated with so many of you.  Over 60 people joined us for a night ride through Nottingham’s city streets and cycle paths.
This was part of a national campaign by Cycling UK called “MyRide.OurRight” which seeks to highlight women’s concerns about safe cycling. It was empowering to be one of 67 rides and thousands of other riders, overwhelmingly women, that night, to coming together and claiming our rightful space on the streets.By amplifying our voices on these mass rides, we hope that stakeholders and those in power, will listen to our concerns and act to improve cycling: we all stand to benefit from this.  Whilst the ride carried a serious message, it was characterised by joy, and notably inclusivity. We werejoined by those who cycle regularly, tour with their bikes and for some, this was their first experience cycling on roads. It was heaterning to see everyone supporting one another: waiting as we reconvened, assisting with mechanicals, providing a shoulder to rest on, and sharing the last samosa.

The ride was testament to what a great community looks like.  According to CyclingUK, this has been one of their most succesful campaigns, not only by the number of women who organised rides and took part, some in appallingly wet weather, but the huge interest from the press and engagement through social and other forms of media coverage.

Thank you to all who supported and took part, Samuel Shoesmith from Pedals, for providing our sountrack, Mikey and the team at Cycling UK, our friends from Notts CTC and Mammoth Cinema
for help with marshalling.

Susan (Pedals)
Emily & Sarah (Women in Tandem)

Have a read on what CyclingUK thought of the Nottingham Glow Ride:

https://www.cyclinguk.org/blog/taking-part-nottinghams-glow-ride-my-ride-our-right