European Capital of Cycling Newsletter – March 2024
Manchester Rides for Women
Over 150 cycling women from across Manchester gathered for the fantastic Rides for Women event on a crisp, sunny day on Sunday 3 March as part of International Women’s Day celebrations. The event was delivered by local community cycling organisations Station South and Bee Pedal Ready. Eight women-led cycling groups led feeder rides from different parts of the city, with all the women and eight rides congregating at the Emmeline Pankhurst Statue in the City Centre.
The 150-strong group set off on a bike ride down Oxford Road and around Manchester, taking in Manchester highlights including Platt Fields and Birchfields Park. The group included women and girls of all ages and abilities, and it was great to see everyone riding together with lots of support from bystanders.
In a year where Manchester was crowned European Capital of Cycling, the first city to receive this accolade, it’s great to see the passion and commitment across the city from community cycling groups and dedicated people, especially furthering women and girls who ride or connect with cycling in Manchester – #PedalMoreIn24
The Manchester and Salford Cemetery Cycle Trail
Thursday 21 March saw the launch of the Manchester and Salford Cemetery Cycling Trail.
The event was attended by The Lord Mayors of Manchester and Salford, elected members of Manchester City Council and Salford City Council, the GM cycling Mayor and founder of Bee Pedal Ready Belinda Everett, members of the friends of cemeteries groups, and selected other dignitaries.
The Manchester and Salford Cemetery Cycling Trail is a 32.8 mile (53km) circular route, that links eight cemeteries across Manchester and Salford. You can either take in the full trail, or alternatively you can ride individual sections according to experience and ability.
New cycle stands at each of the eight cemeteries will contain a scannable QR code, allowing you access to the full map and route information. We hope this new trail opens up these beautiful, quiet, and reflective green spaces for many cyclists, whether to visit loved ones, or to take in the local history.
With Manchester being awarded European Capital of Cycling 2024, what better way to #PedalMoreIn24.
To learn more about the Manchester and Salford Cemetery Cycling Trail, click below!
Are You the Next Superstar?
Are you a female born in the years 2009, 2010 or 2011? Then British Cycling has an opportunity for you!
Manchester is the home of British Cycling, training at the National Cycling Centre right here in the city.
British Cycling is looking for the next crop of talented female track cyclists to take to the boards and continue our proud track record of international success at the Olympic Games, following in the footsteps of Dame Laura Kenny, Katie Archibald and Elinor Barker. If you enjoy sports that are fast, exciting and tactical, British Cycling wants you!
The Talent ID Initiative will be launching in April 2024 in a bid to identify the next potential of talented young athletes, with those successful going on to join British Cycling’s Talent Development and Performance Pathways.
If you believe you have what it takes click below for more information about this opportunity. #PedalMoreIn24
Grand Opening at St Margaret’s
On 24 March, St Margaret’s Centre in Chorlton opened their new bike shelter, who now have a new cycling facility on site in the form of a bike shelter for their community groups to use.
It’s hoped that this facility will help to encourage cycling amongst the various groups they work with and reduce local carbon emissions, whilst also improving people’s health and wellbeing and helping them to foster greater independence.
St Margaret’s Centre have future plans to create a bike room for storing locks, helmets and repair kits, and a cycle route around the building for people to practice riding a bike and gain confidence.
As the European Capital of Cycling 2024, Manchester is helping more communities #PedalMoreIn24
The bike shelter is funded by In Our Nature as one of their Community Support Projects. Find out more information about their work below.
Women’s Cycling Stories
Lady Pedal, a community of Manchester-based cycling women, delivered another fantastic Women’s Cycling Stories event at Station South on 5 March. The event provides the platform and opportunity for a range of women to share their inspiring and amusing, cycling stories.
Layla, one of the women who attended the event, spoke passionately about her love of family cycling and her role in developing a School Street outside her children’s school. She linked her advocacy for cycling to her public health background and the role that cycling can play in reducing the air pollutants that our children inhale.
We would like to say a huge thanks to Lady Pedal and Station South for organising such an inspiring event showcasing the power and influence of women’s cycling.
For information about the meeting, and the next Women’s Cycling Stories meeting, visit below.
Cycling Stories: Hannah Milton, BikeRight & Lady Pedal
To celebrate Manchester as the European Capital of Cycling for 2024, we want to shine a spotlight on Mancunians making a difference for cycling in the city.
We recently caught up with Hannah Milton, a resident of Hulme and Head Mechanic for Bikeright in Manchester and one of the founding members of Lady Pedal – a community of Manchester-based cycling women.
Hannah is also a intrepid cycle explorer, having cycled internationally! Check out our interview below!
Inspiring a new generation
We have been working closely with British Cycling to deliver a fantastic array of cycling activities in Bradford Park, Beswick Park, Wythenshawe Park and Platt Fields BMX Track
British Cycling provided opportunities for over 100 local school children from both primary and secondary schools to learn cycling skills.
At Platt fields, a female only series of sessions was delivered to 40 girls from a local secondary school, with pupils recieving 6 weeks of sessions. These sessions allowed some of the girls to progress from not being able to ride, to doing full laps of the BMX track. Some of the girls were even keen to attend other BMX sessions and were signposted to further opportunities.
The Deputy Head of St Aidan’s Catholic Primary School said of the sessions;
“The MTB sessions have given the pupils something to aim for during the week. The children look forward to the sessions, and a number of the children have come in when not feeling well so they can attend the sessions. A couple of the children have told staff that they have even been back to the park at the weekend with their families and began cycling again”
Meet the Funder Event & Big Bike Revival Info
Manchester groups and clubs were invited to attend a Meet the Funder event held by Cycling UK and Manchester Active to share information about the Big Bike Revival Fund, which will fund entry-level community cycling activity for adults.
Daytime and evening sessions were held to be as inclusive as possible. 16 people attended from a wide range of organisations and we look forward to a good variety of applications from across the city.
Big Bike Revival funds cycling activity for adults, such as Learn to Ride, Led rides and bike fixing opportunities. The fund is for beginner or lapsed cyclists and is particularly aimed at groups under-represented in cycling, including women, ethnic minorities and people living in areas of higher deprivation.
The fund is currently open for applications. For further information visit the page below
European Capital of Cycling Newsletter – March 2024
Manchester Rides for Women
Over 150 cycling women from across Manchester gathered for the fantastic Rides for Women event on a crisp, sunny day on Sunday 3 March as part of International Women’s Day celebrations. The event was delivered by local community cycling organisations Station South and Bee Pedal Ready. Eight women-led cycling groups led feeder rides from different parts of the city, with all the women and eight rides congregating at the Emmeline Pankhurst Statue in the City Centre.
The 150-strong group set off on a bike ride down Oxford Road and around Manchester, taking in Manchester highlights including Platt Fields and Birchfields Park. The group included women and girls of all ages and abilities, and it was great to see everyone riding together with lots of support from bystanders.
In a year where Manchester was crowned European Capital of Cycling, the first city to receive this accolade, it’s great to see the passion and commitment across the city from community cycling groups and dedicated people, especially furthering women and girls who ride or connect with cycling in Manchester – #PedalMoreIn24
To learn more about the Manchester and Salford Cemetery Cycling Trail, click below!
The Manchester and Salford Cemetery Cycle Trail
Thursday 21 March saw the launch of the Manchester and Salford Cemetery Cycling Trail.
The event was attended by The Lord Mayors of Manchester and Salford, elected members of Manchester City Council and Salford City Council, the GM cycling Mayor and founder of Bee Pedal Ready Belinda Everett, members of the friends of cemeteries groups, and selected other dignitaries.
The Manchester and Salford Cemetery Cycling Trail is a 32.8 mile (53km) circular route, that links eight cemeteries across Manchester and Salford. You can either take in the full trail, or alternatively you can ride individual sections according to experience and ability.
New cycle stands at each of the eight cemeteries will contain a scannable QR code, allowing you access to the full map and route information. We hope this new trail opens up these beautiful, quiet, and reflective green spaces for many cyclists, whether to visit loved ones, or to take in the local history.
With Manchester being awarded European Capital of Cycling 2024, what better way to #PedalMoreIn24.
To learn more about the Manchester and Salford Cemetery Cycling Trail, click below!
Are You the Next Superstar?
Are you a female born in the years 2009, 2010 or 2011? Then British Cycling has an opportunity for you!
Manchester is the home of British Cycling, training at the National Cycling Centre right here in the city.
British Cycling is looking for the next crop of talented female track cyclists to take to the boards and continue our proud track record of international success at the Olympic Games, following in the footsteps of Dame Laura Kenny, Katie Archibald and Elinor Barker. If you enjoy sports that are fast, exciting and tactical, British Cycling wants you!
The Talent ID Initiative will be launching in April 2024 in a bid to identify the next potential of talented young athletes, with those successful going on to join British Cycling’s Talent Development and Performance Pathways.
If you believe you have what it takes click below for more information about this opportunity. #PedalMoreIn24
Women’s Cycling Stories
Lady Pedal, a community of Manchester-based cycling women, delivered another fantastic Women’s Cycling Stories event at Station South on 5 March. The event provides the platform and opportunity for a range of women to share their inspiring and amusing, cycling stories.
Layla, one of the women who attended the event, spoke passionately about her love of family cycling and her role in developing a School Street outside her children’s school. She linked her advocacy for cycling to her public health background and the role that cycling can play in reducing the air pollutants that our children inhale.
We would like to say a huge thanks to Lady Pedal and Station South for organising such an inspiring event showcasing the power and influence of women’s cycling.
For information about the meeting, and the next Women’s Cycling Stories meeting, visit below.
Grand Opening at St Margaret’s
On 24 March, St Margaret’s Centre in Chorlton opened their new bike shelter, who now have a new cycling facility on site in the form of a bike shelter for their community groups to use.
It’s hoped that this facility will help to encourage cycling amongst the various groups they work with and reduce local carbon emissions, whilst also improving people’s health and wellbeing and helping them to foster greater independence.
St Margaret’s Centre have future plans to create a bike room for storing locks, helmets and repair kits, and a cycle route around the building for people to practice riding a bike and gain confidence.
As the European Capital of Cycling 2024, Manchester is helping more communities #PedalMoreIn24
The bike shelter is funded by In Our Nature as one of their Community Support Projects. Find out more information about their work below.
Cycling Stories: Hannah Milton, BikeRight & Lady Pedal
To celebrate Manchester as the European Capital of Cycling for 2024, we want to shine a spotlight on Mancunians making a difference for cycling in the city.
We recently caught up with Hannah Milton, a resident of Hulme and Head Mechanic for Bikeright in Manchester and one of the founding members of Lady Pedal – a community of Manchester-based cycling women.
Hannah is also a intrepid cycle explorer, having cycled internationally! Check out our interview below!
Inspiring a New Generation
We have been working closely with British Cycling to deliver a fantastic array of cycling activities in Bradford Park, Beswick Park, Wythenshawe Park and Platt Fields BMX Track
British Cycling provided opportunities for over 100 local school children from both primary and secondary schools to learn cycling skills.
At Platt fields, a female only series of sessions was delivered to 40 girls from a local secondary school, with pupils recieving 6 weeks of sessions. These sessions allowed some of the girls to progress from not being able to ride, to doing full laps of the BMX track. Some of the girls were even keen to attend other BMX sessions and were signposted to further opportunities.
The Deputy Head of St Aidan’s Catholic Primary School said of the sessions;
“The MTB sessions have given the pupils something to aim for during the week. The children look forward to the sessions, and a number of the children have come in when not feeling well so they can attend the sessions. A couple of the children have told staff that they have even been back to the park at the weekend with their families and began cycling again”
Meet the Funder Event & Big Bike Revival Info
Manchester groups and clubs were invited to attend a Meet the Funder event held by Cycling UK and Manchester Active to share information about the Big Bike Revival Fund, which will fund entry-level community cycling activity for adults.
Daytime and evening sessions were held to be as inclusive as possible. 16 people attended from a wide range of organisations and we look forward to a good variety of applications from across the city.
Big Bike Revival funds cycling activity for adults, such as Learn to Ride, Led rides and bike fixing opportunities. The fund is for beginner or lapsed cyclists and is particularly aimed at groups under-represented in cycling, including women, ethnic minorities and people living in areas of higher deprivation.
The fund is currently open for applications. For further information visit the page below
