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.

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.

Alison worked in universities in London for 14 years, running secondary school outreach and career development projects. She moved to Glasgow last summer, and is currently working as an equality and diversity specialist in the People team at Forestry and Land Scotland. Alison learned to ride in her late twenties. She is enjoying exploring cycling routes in and around Glasgow, and family bike ride days along the canals. She brings expertise in human resources, inclusive communication, project management and contacts in the forestry and natural heritage sector.

Jess has worked in the sporting industry for 7 years and the third sector for 2 years. She started commuting 9 years ago and has since been an advocate for improving cycling infrastructure and safety for all. Jess brings a passion for volunteering, having volunteered in different capacities since the age of 16 and recently completing a 6-year term on the Scottish ClubSport Board. She also brings event delivery experience, project management expertise and the championing of environmental sustainability.

Mar holds a doctorate in childhood studies and has worked for over a decade delivering services for children, women, and families in the third sector. She currently works as both a Senior Development Officer at the Health and Social Care Alliance Scotland and an educational researcher at the University of Glasgow. She brings to the board expertise in service management, partnership development, impactful monitoring and evaluation, and research methodologies. Mar's connection to Women on Wheels is both professional and personal. Having learned to cycle with WOW just two years ago, she knows firsthand the transformative power of the organisation's work. On her days off, Mar enjoys cycling to peaceful natural spots where she can enjoy a good book.

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.

Holly is our Women’s Activities Coordinator. 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. Holly has been working for Women on Wheels since 2022 and is specially interested in pushing women to have more adventures on their bikes- cycle touring, mountain biking or trying BMX-ing for the first time! She is qualified as a Cycle Ride leader and Cycle trainer and is passionate about getting women outside and onto bikes!

Katherine is our Families Activities Coordinator. 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.

Pernille is our Communication Officer. 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 (she’ll be fuming if anyone tells her she can’t cycle in a dress!) Pernille doesn’t consider herself a cyclist but merely a cycle commuter keen to beat the rush hour traffic. Before joining WOW, Pernille delivered the communications and marketing for an active travel hub in East Ayrshire. Pernille is also a cycle trainer and ride leader and often deliver our Balance Bike sessions. She’s passionate about inspiring, empowering and enabling more women to cycle.

Ashley is our Project Support Officer. 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.

Rachel is our Teens and Volunteers Coordinator. Cycling has always played a big role in Rachel’s life from learning to ride with her parents to racing on the velodrome and bikepacking around Scotland. Rachel is excited to share her passion for cycling with young girls in Glasgow and support our wonderful volunteers here at Women on Wheels on their cycling journeys. She has extensive experience with ride leading and cycle training. Rachel’s last job was in hospitality so she is very excited to be working outdoors again!  As well as cycling Rachel enjoys swimming and she is slowly learning to enjoy running. In her spare time, she enjoys learning languages, reading, and writing.

Mollie is our Women’s Activities Coordinator (Maternity Cover). Mollie is an experienced ride leader and cycle trainer who has been supporting people to get cycling for over six years. She began her career in community cycling with Sustrans, where she delivered a range of cycling initiatives with communities across London and Scotland. Mollie is particularly dedicated to helping women discover the joy and freedom that different types of cycling can bring. When she's not leading rides or delivering cycle training, you'll likely find Mollie out on her bike, climbing hills, or playing a game of footy for southside team, Cathkin Blazes.