“There’s still a taboo and stigma attached to seeing ladies in our community ride a bike.”
Fozia started hosting the ladies weekly ‘cycle skills’ group based at the Bilal Centre, Junior Sports Hub in Harehills. Her initiative ‘HERhills’ was set up for the women in the community to try new activities. When Fozia cycles in this group it reminds her of her days back in India, connecting to her roots, holding a special place in her soul.
My own experience of cycling has a very special meaning to me from when I was a child back in India. My dad had bought a bike each for both my brother and I, and mine was bright yellow. It was so beautiful, it was like I had a Ferrari riding around the streets where I live. All the other kids were amazed by it, they’d wave and come over wanting to have a go, it was very exciting!
Which is why I wanted to help host the women’s cycling group. I wanted to create a welcoming group for these ladies to feel that sort of happiness, to learn how to cycle, and to have a place of their own where they could come together, learn a new skill and be part of a community. I didn’t want it to be strict with policies for attendance. These women have busy lives and making it mandatory each week puts added pressure on their already busy schedules and creates a barrier to them actually turning up again.
We have Alison from Cycle North here each week to run the sessions. Alison shows them all the basic skills to start with, and builds it up for each person. If somebody arrives one week and they have never ridden, or even sat on a bike before, then she’ll go right back to the basics for them so that they feel comfortable. She also helps the ladies ‘develop and nurture’ their existing cycling skills.
Alison will put cones out for those who are ready to follow a track and use their steering abilities. She’ll get them to have a go at braking, pedalling, and when they’re ready, they may even move on to some one-handed cycling to get ready for signalling! It’s a diverse group with varying skills and abilities, and they cater for everyone at whatever stage of learning they’re at.
The bikes and helmets are provided by British Cycling and Active Leeds, and Alison can teach the women about the tools they need to make any adjustments to their bikes, to check the brakes are working and move the seat into the correct position and height. She will often make adjustments to each bike on the day to make sure it’s a good fit for the women riding them. It gives the ladies a full understanding of what to expect; there’s a real power in knowing what feels right for them. We are currently looking into holding a bike maintenance course for the women, aiming to give them the confidence and skills to maintain any bikes in their household or community.
We also do a little breakfast club afterwards, so that people can stick around for some social time together, chat about what they’ve learned and achieved so far, and share their lives and memorable experiences with each other. It’s a very friendly and lively bunch of women, and welcoming to everyone. The ladies help make the tea and we have different snacks each week, from croissants, to eggs on toast, paratha and pickle, to pastries. The ladies make their own versions of indian tea or various hot drinks and they all get the chance to catch up, form new friendships and socialise together.
There’s still a taboo and stigma attached to seeing ladies in our community ride a bike. It’s more often seen as appropriate for men to cycle. This is why it’s so amazing to see these women learning together in a safe environment where they feel comfortable, they can wear their hijab and clip their garments back to pedal if they need to.
There are so many people who hugely benefit from the physical and mental wellbeing aspects that riding a bike can offer. To me, connection is very important and it’s what I wanted to create here at this venue with this group. More than anything I wanted to give these women an opportunity to connect with one another, to learn something together in a place where they feel safe, comfortable and valued. Some of the women here have no other family in this country other than who is at home with them, so the social connection is really important.
A regular cycling group wouldn’t reach the women in this community if they had to turn up at a park where men are present, or sign up beforehand to attend. With a group like ours, the way it has been set up and how it operates, it offers peace of mind. It resonates through the community of ladies around Harehills who wouldn’t ordinarily have had any way of riding a bike before now, and as it builds in popularity, word of mouth and recommendations get around, it can only get better!
When I cycle now in this group it reminds me of those days back in India, and it feels like a connection back to my parents who sadly are no longer with us. Cycling gives me a certain feeling of joy and calm, connecting me to my roots, it’s a special part of my soul.
“There’s still a taboo and stigma attached to seeing ladies in our community ride a bike. It’s more often seen as appropriate for men to cycle. This is why it’s so amazing to see these women learning together in a safe environment where they feel comfortable, they can wear their hijab and clip their garments back to pedal if they need to.”