COVID-19 may have caused mass cycling events to have been cancelled, but it hasn’t stopped our wonderful participants from enjoying led rides around London – some of which have even been themed in commemoration of particular international days and months!
Take International Women’s Day (IWD) for example, which occurred on Monday 8th March. Knowing that thousands of women across the world would also be celebrating IWD with a cycle ride, WfW Session Manager Emma Budgen saw it as the perfect opportunity to gather a group of Disabled women and their supporters to do the very same thing!
Starting off at Herne Hill Velodrome and cycling around Dulwich Park for an hour, the group enjoyed chatting – and of course some light exercise! – in pleasant weather.
Following on from IWD, Emma decided to host a ride in celebration of LGBT+ History Month (albeit a month later, on Saturday 13th March). She knew that some of WfW’s participants and volunteers identify as LGBTQ+ and so asked for their help in suggesting relevant sightseeing spots, such as monuments and blue plaques.
Having been sent a link to the Pride of Place: England’s LGBTQ Heritage website and discovering that the founder of ‘Gays the Word’ bookshop died last month, Emma chose Bloomsbury as the ride’s final destination. She also printed out a document for the ride participants, so that they could better understand the history of LGBTQ+ in London.
Thanks to TfL's Walking and Cycling Grants London, this ride was another great success, with 5 people managing to cycle the entire 18-mile route – not to mention the positive feedback around it truly being a ‘historic ride’!