SoulRiders: using cycling to tackle inequalities

Photo by Mark Stosberg on Unsplash

ACCTING aims to understand the impact of Green Deal policies on vulnerable groups, prevent inequalities, and produce knowledge and innovations to advance behavioural change at individual and collective levels for an inclusive and equal European Green Deal. This bottom-up initiative was collected within the Sustainable Mobility research line. Read our report on all 693 mapped initiatives.

SoulRiders, UK

Tackling inequalities and loneliness through access to sustainable mobility

SoulRiders is a community-led charitable organisation based in the south-side of Glasgow, Scotland. The initiative originated and is led by Rashid Khaliq, a Glasgow resident who has used his personal experience of cycling as a member of an ethnic minority in order to provide cycling support to others in vulnerable or minority groups.

The aim of SoulRiders is to use bikes to tackle inequalities, especially related to ethnicity, and overcome loneliness by bringing diverse communities together. The organisation refurbishes donated bikes that can then be given back to the community, carries out repairs, and offers mechanical training.

A key area of focus is on encouraging cycling among ethnic minorities, and especially children, young people, and women within ethnic minority groups. The initiative runs three specific programmes:
– SoulKids, a cycling and personal development programme aimed at children and teenagers,
– SoulSisters, a female-led programme designed to increase women’s confidence in cycling through group training and rides
– Revolutionize, an e-cargo bike green collection and delivery service.

Find out more here.

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