A cycling group in Bolton is inspiring women and girls to learn how ride a bike and discover the joys of pedal power right on their doorstep.
Krimmz Girls Youth Club is on a mission to address the barriers that prevent women and girls from diverse ethnic backgrounds in Bolton from riding a bike.
The club runs sessions where women can learn how to cycle for the first time or build confidence on a bike in a safe, traffic-free environment.
Khadija Patel, founder of the cycling club, said: “At Krimmz Girls Youth Club one of our missions is to address the significant barriers that prevent women and girls from having a go at cycling.
“What started as a small group of women who wanted to try riding a bike has grown into an inspiring cycling community where women are supported to become confident on two wheels and discover the joys of cycling.
“The majority of women who join us are from diverse backgrounds and for me it’s all about challenging the perceptions of what women can and can’t do. Some people may have never learned to ride a bike when they were young, or some may want to build their confidence after a break from cycling.
“That’s why we tailor our sessions to suit women’s preferences and ensure that everyone feels comfortable. Cycling has so many benefits and it’s been fantastic to enable even more women in our community to have access to riding a bike.”
With the support of Transport for Greater Manchester’s Wheels and Walks programme, Krimmz and its team of volunteers has enabled more than 50 women and girls access cycling in Bolton during this summer alone.
Tehmina said: “I’ve been learning how to ride a bike for the first time with Krimmz and it’s something I have always wanted to do.
“Khadija has been really encouraging and it’s nice to be around people who are in the same boat.
“We’ve started with improving my balance on two wheels and next we’ll be working on building up speed. For me it’s about overcoming the nerves and the fear of falling off.
“Eventually I’d like to go on bike rides with my family and maybe using a bike for getting around too.”
Krimmz Girls Youth Club is one of 13 community groups in Greater Manchester to have benefitted from TfGM’s Wheels and Walks programme since the start of this year.
The scheme is designed to help community groups and residents to become more active through walking, wheeling and cycling.
