Women on Wheels History

Women on Wheels has been in our minds for a very long time. We’re a social enterprise aiming to remove the barriers for women to experience the mental and physical benefits of cycling.

Thank you for joining us on our journey, here is what we have been up to so far……

Women on Wheels Timeline

  • 5 years ago - Our founder had a dream of supporting women.

2022

  • 9th February - Our all-women social enterprise (SCIO) was created.

  • 8th March - We launched online to the world as part of International Women’s Day.

  • 27th April - We signed the lease to our new premises.

  • 5th May - We picked up the keys to our shiny new hub!

  • 27th May - We open our doors to the womenfolk of Glasgow.

  • 30th May - Our community cycling programme kicks off.

  • 13th August - We hold our first Women’s Cycle Festival offering taster cycle lessons, led rides and maintenance classes.

  • 7th October - We recruit our first employee (the wonderful Holly Barwick as Women’s Activities Coordinator) on the same day Patrick Harvey pops in for a wee visit!

  • 22nd December - On our last working day of the year, we hold service design sessions to develop a cycling programme for teens.

2023

  • 6th March- Not ready to stop with just teenage, we run a service design session for families.

  • 8th March - We celebrate our second International Women’s Day as we approach our second Women’s Cycle Festival.

  • 9th May - We recruit our Families Coordinator, the fab Katherine Cory, who starts developing a Families Programme.

  • 8th July - We hold our first Summer Cycle Festival where we deliver cycle lessons to 78 women and engage with more than 350 people across our various cycling activities.

  • 8th July - Our Families Programme launches with weekly activities for women and their families.

  • 3rd-13th August - UCI Cycling World Championships are held in Glasgow and Women on Wheels are involved in numerous activities across the championships such as delivering cycle skills at Glasgow Green.

  • October - We reach a big milestone of working with 500 women across our programmes.

  • 3rd October - Shgufta Anwar, founding director of Women on Wheels, is appointed Bicycle Mayor of Glasgow.

  • 26th October - Shgufta receives the Visionary Champion of the Year award at the annual Cycling Scotland Conference.

2024

  • 8th March - We celebrate our second year birthday on International Women’s Day.

  • 25th March - Together with partners we host Glasgow’s first skatepark event only for women and non-binary people

  • 1st June - We host our 4th Cycle Festival

  • 1st June - We recruit a Project Support Officer, the lovely Ashley McAdam, to support the admin team.

Women on Wheels women’s cycling group on BBC Reporting Scotland

We were delighted to share our origin story of the group Hijabi Riders on BBC Reporting Scotland in March 2022.