Joy Anibaba - Founder and Organiser of a Community Cycle Club
Full name, occupation, area you live in and name of group or activity you support:
Joy Anibaba, Local Government Officer. I live in Solihull and I’m part of Joyful Bellas and Fellas Community Cycle Club.
What made you decide to volunteer your skills with Cycling UK or a Cycling UK registered group?
I wanted to get more practice but in a group, not on my own. I wanted to help others just starting out to get practice, to gain confidence and do it at their own pace.
How much time are you able to commit?
I started off with 2 hours every Saturday morning.
What activity or activities do you support?
I support a small group of women initially every Saturday morning at 10am at the Edgbaston Reservoir. We do laps around the reservoir.
What is the greatest challenge you have encountered?
Not having a Saturday to myself for a whole year!
Describe a typical day in your volunteer role.
Send out messages encouraging people to join us for the ride. Get there, on time (just), open up the bike containers, take bikes out, adjust them (saddles!) to suit the rider, pump up tyres, take the register, do the M check, hand out helmets and high vis vests, lock the container, go on the ride, help the slower, newer riders. Finish the ride, put the bikes back.
Of all the tasks you have helped with, what are you most proud of?
Helping newer riders to keep going when they would have given up.
What do you get out of the experience of volunteering?
It’s improved my confidence, my riding ability, and my mental and physical health too.
What would you say to someone considering volunteering with Cycling UK or its local groups supporting cycling?
Go for it! Best thing I ever did. I’m amazed at how much I and others love it. I really love cycling.
