Karola Formella – runner-up

Karola is a volunteer at Brighton’s Cowley Club, and her dedication to the community has a profound impact.

She is extremely dedicated to running the community space at Cowley Club, a place that welcomes diversity through a range of activities and events, to help foster a community feel. Club activities include cooking classes, a library, a book club, and English lessons.

Karola embodies the aims of the Cowley Club, she makes everyone welcome, and through her classes brings people together who would not ordinarily meet.

Karola has also been involved with the Big Bike Revival since 2016 in her capacity as a bike mechanic. She wants to use the space at the Cowley Club and the opportunity to encourage more and more people to take up cycling.

She is keen for everyone around her to feel enthusiastic about its benefits, and her enthusiasm and outgoing personality shine through to everyone who drops in. She regularly runs drop-in sessions to teach bike mechanics in the small yard behind the club.

Cycling UK’s Volunteer of the Year Awards are given annually to recognise and celebrate all the incredible work volunteers do in encouraging others to start cycling and keep cycling.