A new charity aiming to get more women of colour cycling says its mission is to “inspire, empower and motivate.”
The Womxn of Colour Cycling Collective has now officially been given charitable status and aims to help more people enjoy riding their bike, while addressing the racial imbalance in cycling.
After meeting as an informal group back in 2018, at the Look Mum No Hands cycling cafe in London, Womxn of Colour Cycling Collective (WCCC) has since grown into a hub for minority ethnic women and non-binary people across the UK getting involved in cycling.
The chair of WCCC, Jenni Gwiazdowski, said: “Our mission is to inspire, empower, and motivate women of colour to cycle - whether you’re new to riding a bike, or you’re a seasoned veteran, we welcome women and non-binary folks to join us.
“Our collective addresses the loneliness and isolation of being a minority by creating a safe space for people to be seen, support each other and grow.
“We are challenging the stereotype of what a cyclist looks like. We’re here to celebrate the joy that cycling brings us.”
According to a Transport for London report women of colour were vastly underrepresented amongst cyclists, as 73 per cent of cycling journeys in 2018/19 were made by men, while 85 per cent of those making the journeys were white.
During the coronavirus lockdown, the charity shifted to online meetings and was bolstered by increased support due to the Black Lives Matter movement in 2020, with numbers growing throughout the year.
WCCC has now appointed a diverse board of trustees including regular cyclists Sidrah Shafag, Sara Nanayakkara and former BBC journalist Victoria Hazael, who now works for charity Cycling UK.
The group currently has more than one hundred members across the UK and holds online training sessions and advice events, and also runs a Whatsapp support group.
Visit the group's website, Facebook, or Instagram.
WCCC opted to use the term 'womxn' in their name to be more gender inclusive.
As part of its continued progress, the charity is seeking cycling brands and organisations who would like to help fund their work, projects and offer training.
