Dear Cycling Clubs,
Cycling Ulster Women’s Commission are looking for cycling clubs to participate in the WOW24 programme. WOW is a programme designed to address the low numbers of female leisure members and is now in its 4th year and to date over 300 female cyclists have taken part and benefited from the project.
The aims of the Women On Wheels 2024 programme are:
- To increase female participation in leisure cycling (Road or Off Road) in Ulster.
- To increase the number of female members in Cycling Ulster clubs.
- To increase the number of female club volunteer coaching workforce and female coaching skills.
We would now like to invite cycling clubs to express an interest in taking part in the WOW 2024 programme .
In brief a number of cycling clubs will be selected to act as Women on Wheels host clubs for 2024. Two members will be designated WOW24 leaders. Participating Cycling Clubs will deliver a 6-8 week introductory cycling programme to new female cyclists. The programme will conclude with a WOW24 event and with the Big Day Out 2024 in Tollymore NOC, September 2024.
What’s in it for Cycling Clubs:
- Free Ride Leader Training x 2 spaces will be available to each participating WOW24 cycling club.
- All participating Ride Leaders will receive Cycling Ireland Leisure Membership for 2025 for supporting and delivering the programme.
- New Female Members – given the decline in female membership this is an excellent opportunity to gain new female members to your club and grow this section of the cycling club.
- Clothing- all the trained Ride Leaders will receive a “Women on Wheels 2024” top.
- Publicity- the programme and clubs taking part will be released Ulster wide on Friday 8th March 2024 to coincide with International Women’s Day.
- The WOW24 programme will be featured on all Cycling Ulster social media and the Cycling Ulster website as well as external sources. This is also an opportunity to promote your club to a wider audience.
- #WOW24
What we need from your Cycling Club:
- Two or more nominated volunteers or qualified ride leaders club leaders who will commit to delivering an 6-8 week female focussed Cycling programme.
- Participating clubs will be supported by marketing material provided by CUWC and active advice and support from the Cycling Ulster Women’s Commission, and Cycling Ireland during, before and after the WOW24 programme.
(WOW leaders don’t have to be female, just committed to delivering a female focussed programme at their respective cycling club).
Note: If the participating clubs nominated leaders already have Ride Leader qualification they will be asked to nominate someone else from their club to take the training who would then assist them in delivering the programme in a learning/skill development role.
A willingness to continue to provide opportunities for female cyclists in your club after the WOW24 programme has finished. This may be by incorporating the WOW24 group into your regular club runs or by continuing to hold WOW spins on a regular basis.
Timeline:
- Cycling Clubs sign up to the WOW24 programme – February/March 2024
- Women on Wheels 2024 is launched Friday 8th March 2024 (International Women’s Day).
- Participating Cycling Clubs use WOW24 marketing materials to recruit participants in their local areas. – March 2024
- Ride Leader Training takes place in March/April 2024. Location of the Ride Leader training to be determined by number and location of participating clubs.
- Women on Wheels 2024 programme to start at participating Cycling Clubs – May/June 2024 for 6-8 weeks.
- Cycling Club host and end of WOW24 programme event- August 2024
- WOW24 Cycling Clubs attend the “Women’s Big Day Out” September 2024, Tollymore NOC, Newcastle, Co. Down.
For further information and to register your clubs interest in participating in the Women on Wheels 2024 programme please contact:
Gemma McNamara gemma.mcnamara@cylingireland.ie
