Corinne is a proactive leader and organiser in Calderdale. She established the Friends of Ryburn Valley Greenway Trail - a project to create a traffic-free cycling and walking route on a former railway line. As a Breeze leader she also founded the women's group PedalPower. 

Corinne said...

"I know the benefits riding a bike can bring to people’s lives, because it’s brought them to mine. Eight years ago, I hadn’t ridden since I was a child. Since then, I’ve come to appreciate how the simple act of pedalling can transform physical and mental wellbeing, foster a sense of community, provide a cheap and environmentally sustainable mode of transport and, generally, just make people happy.

"I am passionate about giving everyone the chance to experience the sense of freedom and joy that bicycles can bring, and have a track record of planning, funding and delivering successful cycling projects in the voluntary sector.

"In 2013, inspired by the imminent arrival of the Tour de France in our village, I helped form the Ryburn Valley Greenway group, with the long-term goal of creating a transformative multi-million pound legacy project - a 3.5 mile walking and cycling route along an old railway line that joins our village to the main transport hub of Sowerby Bridge. As group chair, I helped oversee fundraising, promotion through social media channels, public engagement and worked directly with Calderdale Council to jointly commission a Feasibility Study delivered by Sustrans.

"After teaching myself to ride as a child, I hadn't picked up a bicycle until, as a mother of two, I found myself rather unfit and heading towards middle age. I borrowed a bike from a neighbour and rediscovered the joy of cycling. I joined British Cycling's Breeze rides for women and enjoyed the social side of cycling as well as the health benefits. In 2016, I trained to be a Breeze ride leader and have since delivered nearly 70 rides for Breeze. We successfully completed our Level 1 coaching qualification in October 2019 and have now set up PedalPower cycling club (registered with Cycling UK) to deliver skills sessions and a Couch-to-10k programme to women in Calderdale, commencing in the new year.

"On a personal level, my daughter attends Ravenscliffe High School, for pupils with special educational needs and regularly uses the school’s adapted bikes. At home, we have an adapted trike trailer but struggle to find places in the hilly Calderdale landscape where we are able to ride safely as a family. Realising this was an issue for other families with disabled children, in 2018 I approached local charity Sport 4 All Calderdale and secured seed funding from Yorkshire Sport to run weekly disability cycling sessions at the Hammerstones cycle circuit in Elland."

Nominated by...

Corinne Kielty was nominated for the 100 Women in Cycling by Lynette Evans who said: "Corinne is a proactive leader and organiser in Calderdale (a district in West Yorkshire). She established the Friends of Ryburn Valley Greenway Trail - a project to create a traffic-free cycling and walking route on a former railway line between the town of Sowerby Bridge and the villages of Ripponden and Rishworth. She is passionate about bringing this land into public use for leisure and active travel journeys. This project is now firmly on the agenda of the local council and a feasibility study has been published.

"Corinne is tenacious and continues to campaign for development of the route. Corinne is also a Breeze ride leader and set up cycling group PedalPower. This is an affiliate group of Cycling UK and Corinne leads a group of coaches and ride leaders dedicated to get more people into cycling. They run skills sessions at the Brooksbank cycle circuit.

"Alongside this, Corinne organises Cycling for All - weekly cycling sessions to open up cycling opportunities for people of all abilities including people with disabilities. The site is a Yorkshire Bank Bike Library so cycles can be borrowed. Corinne is an inspiration because she has the drive to set up activities from scratch. She has excellent organisational skills and promotes cycling sessions to reach as many people as possible. She is supportive and compassionate in her delivery of these activities and is well respected in the cycling community of Calderdale."

She has excellent organisational skills and promotes cycling sessions to reach as many people as possible. She is supportive and compassionate in her delivery of these activities and is well respected in the cycling community of Calderdale.

Lynette Evans