Women on Wheels: Expanding opportunities through bike ownership, repair and sharing in Glasgow
Set up just three years ago, Women on Wheels – or WoW – exists to get more women and families cycling in and around Govanhill, one of the most diverse and densely populated areas in Scotland. With strong demand and limited resources, the organisation had often struggled to meet the needs of participants without access to a bike.
Meeting long-standing demand for bikes
“We’d always had women asking if we had bikes to give or sell,” explains Holly Barwick, Women’s Project Lead. “But we didn’t have the resources – so we had to say no.”
That changed with the Cycle Access Fund. Through the Recycled Bikes strand, WoW could finally say yes – repairing donated bikes and giving them to women they’d supported for years through group rides, training and events.
“It was such a privilege to hand over those bikes,” Holly adds.
One woman, who’s been with us since the beginning, cried when she received hers. She said no one had ever given her anything before. She’s been quite isolated and now she uses her bike to get out and about
Holly Barwick, Women’s Project Lead, Women on Wheels
Another participant, who had recently moved from London and was working several jobs to afford a bike, was “absolutely over the moon” to receive one.
Individual ownership creates lasting impact
Building on this success, WoW also used funding through the Individual Ownership strand to buy bikes for 10 women who were ready for that next step – including four families and six individuals.
The women were already using our bike library and attending sessions – they just needed that next level of independence. The cost was the only barrier
Katherine Cory, Families Activities Coordinator, agrees. “Some of our mums were coming to family cycling sessions but didn’t have their own bikes. We were able to give five mums bikes through this fund. It made a massive difference.”
One mother who received a bike for herself and her children now cycles to school every Monday and Friday as part of the local bike bus. The school now also hosts bikes in their new bike loan library, with loans already in full swing for the spring/ summer term.
More bikes, more reach
In response to growing demand, WoW also used Cycle Access Fund support to buy 10 new bikes and a child trailer for their bike library. “Last year the library just exploded,” says Holly.
The new bikes meant we could meet that demand and support even more women and families
The shared bikes are used constantly – both for lending and in WoW’s regular activities, from teen cycling sessions to buddy rides for confidence building and route planning. The organisation now proactively sources donations, refurbishing decent-quality bikes and giving them to participants – something they weren’t able to do before.
“It’s still small scale and a lot of admin,” Holly says, “but it makes such a difference to be able to say yes when someone asks for a bike.”
Freedom, community and confidence
Asylum seekers and refugees make up a large part of WoW’s community. With very limited income, access to a bike provides free transport, as well as orientation and freedom.
Some have trained as volunteer ride leaders and bike mechanics, and even spoken publicly at Women on Wheels events.
Women supporting women – that’s what we’re all about. Having a bike can save money, boost confidence and help people feel part of something
With Cycle Access Fund support, Women on Wheels has been able to go further in removing barriers – and build stronger community connections in the process.
