We're over the rainbow with our LGBT campaign

Alex Cuppleditch in full rainbow colours.
Rainbow Laces was an awareness campaign for the LGBT+ community. We had over 100 Rainbow Laces requests. Alex Cuppleditch, our Head of Volunteering explains why she thinks these campaigns are so important for diversity.

Campaigns like Rainbow Laces are essential for our diversity development, to ensure that everyone feels welcome to participate and volunteer within Cycling UK.

We are the charity enabling a million more people to cycle and the door should be open for all, not the few.   

Sadly, we received some negative comments via our social media accounts, which only demonstrates the importance of diversity campaigns to bring awareness to our Cycling UK network.  

However, a large majority including our volunteering network demonstrated their support by getting in touch, and their enthusiasm attests to the need for future diversity inclusion campaigns.  

We are the charity enabling a million more people to cycle and the door should be open for all, not the few.   

Alex Cuppleditch, Head of Volunteering

We've loved hearing the positive feedback on this initiative. Here are some of our volunteer network's reactions:

"Love that cycling UK are promoting equality."

"I am an active “LGBT Ally” in my workplace, recently supporting a friend and colleague through gender transitioning. I am active in supporting diversity and inclusion initiatives at work and raising awareness of LGBT issues outside of work. Wearing rainbow laces on my cycling shoes would be a good way to show my support while cycling."

"I support your aim of making cycling inclusive - all mainstream and marginal 'groups' should be represented and welcomed. Look forward to seeing and participating in other initiatives that you develop."

"Awesome stuff and great awareness raising! It’s really good to see charities like this working with such a wide variety of marginalised people"

"What a brilliant idea! I’m Welfare Officer and a community emergency responder, so also first aider on club rides. I’d love to show my support with rainbow laces! Lovely initiative"

"I'd like to wear them when I go out riding in solidarity with my son. Long story, but a triumph for him and cycling."

The Rainbow Laces campaign overall has been a massive step forward and success for Cycling UK and working towards diversifying of our network and therefore cycling. This will be the start of many targeted campaigns around diversity and providing a cycling avenue for humans across the board.  

We will be supporting the social media campaign #Ourprideride during Bike Week on Saturday 13 June which is supported by our partnership with Stonewall, the largest LGBT+ rights organisation in Europe, and cycling author Emily Chappell.

You can still get your own rainbow laces by emailing Tom Page