Meet The Team

Shgufta’s passion for cycling started when she ran a climate change project for a Muslim women’s charity for nearly five years. She (along with Mahnoor) developed a cycling hub, working with hundreds of women and children and the project developed into a regular cycling group, the Hijabi Riders. Shgufta has seen first-hand the need for more specific support for women, particularly those from backgrounds and cultures where cycling is not the norm for women. She spent four and a half years at Glasgow’s biggest cycling charity (Bike for Good) where her most enjoyable time was engaging women (particularly women of colour) to take up cycling, as she understands the barriers women can experience and shares how she overcame them.

Salma is a qualified Cycle Trainer Assistant and Ride Leader. She has 10 years of experience enabling women and children to cycle. She enjoys motivating young people to realise their potential through her teaching work. She has delivered cycling lessons to women and groups of home-educated children. She started cycling again later in life because she saw another hijab-wearing Muslim woman on a bike and realised it was something she would love to do. She firmly believes in making under-represented groups more visible in cycling and sees Women on Wheels as the vehicle to make this a reality.

Victoria has 15 years leadership experience in the third sector and has previously led successful expansion of cycling development opportunities in a community setting throughout her 10 years as the Community Lead at Bike for Good. She shares her knowledge in cycling development as a Trustee on the Board of Cycling Scotland. Victoria has a passion for supporting and encouraging women to cycle, which she brings to Women on Wheels, alongside a strong track record of project management, fundraising, strategic development and service design.

Hannah has 10 years of experience working as a Ride Leader and Cycle Trainer. She has recently qualified as a level 1 mountain Bike Leader. Hannah has 14 years experience working in bike shops and bike projects. She is a qualified and experienced bike mechanic. Hannah holds teaching qualifications for cycle maintenance as well as outdoor expeditions. She has extensive experience of running cycling projects, including co-founding Leeds Bike Mill in 2014. Hannah was pivotal in launching women’s only maintenance, fix your own bike sessions, and apprenticeship programmes at Bike for Good. Hannah is also an experienced youth and support worker and is passionate about learning languages.

Bio to come!

Shgufta’s passion for cycling started when she ran a climate change project for a Muslim women’s charity for nearly five years. She (along with Mahnoor) developed a cycling hub, working with hundreds of women and children and the project developed into a regular cycling group, the Hijabi Riders. Shgufta has seen first-hand the need for more specific support for women, particularly those from backgrounds and cultures where cycling is not the norm for women. She spent four and a half years at Glasgow’s biggest cycling charity (Bike for Good) where her most enjoyable time was engaging women (particularly women of colour) to take up cycling, as she understands the barriers women can experience and shares how she overcame them.

Sahir is our Interim Project Manager and is an experienced senior leader in the third sector who has worked for various charities that focus on improving the lives of children, families and communities. She was inspired to start cycle touring after reading Dervla Murphy's account of cycling from Ireland to India in the 1960s, and recently cycled solo from Glasgow to Istanbul as a winner of an Adventure Queens Grant. She saw hardly any women on the road - and no non-white women - and is delighted to have the opportunity to play her part on her return in changing this by working with Women on Wheels. Sahir has two young children and as well as cycling enjoys writing, reading and is learning to play the violin and speak Spanish.

We want to introduce you to our first official employee, Women’s Activities Coordinator, Holly Barwick. Holly originally trained as a Physiotherapist but decided to change career when she went on her first cycle tour- cycling and wild camping for 3 months from England to Norway. Feeling the first-hand benefits of spending so much time outside and on a bike, she was keen to do a job that would encourage other people to fall in love with cycling too. When she moved to Glasgow in 2016, she got a job working for Sustrans, promoting walking and cycling in East Ayrshire. She is qualified as a Cycle Ride leader and Cycle trainer and is passionate about getting women outside and onto bikes!

Introducing our new Families Activities Coordinator, Katherine Cory. Katherine is an artist and mum of two who has worked in Community Development for a number of years in Glasgow. She hadn’t cycled much since childhood and when her daughter started at primary school in 2021, Katherine was inspired to start a local bike bus enabling children and their families to cycle safely to school. Through this work she has seen first hand how cycling can benefit the lives of families - she wants to help them break down the barriers to cycling, have some fun and experience the utter joy of being on a bike.

Introducing our Communication Officer, Pernille Soeholm. Since moving to Scotland, Pernille has been on a mission to change the perception that cycling is only for white middle aged men in Lycra. Utilising her degree in Journalism and Sports Studies, Pernille has 5 years experience working in behaviour change inspiring and encouraging more people to take up cycling. Most recently, Pernille has delivered the communications and marketing for an active travel hub in East Ayrshire. Pernille is thrilled to join Women on Wheels to help inspire, empower and enable more women to cycle.

Introducing our wonderful Project Support Officer Ashley. Ashley returned to university as a mature student after the pandemic. The uncertainty of the world at that time inspired Ashley to return to university and set out in a career which supported and empowered others. Through her education and career Ashley narrowed down her passion and expertise in working predominantly with women. Ashley cycled consistently throughout her childhood with her family. However, as an adult this has dwindled. Ashley got inspired to return to cycling after completing a placement with Women on Wheels which reignited her interest in cycling.