An Occupational Therapist, Lydia is also a volunteer and trustee at Solihull Wheels For All (SWFA). She has a passion for working with people with disabilities, particularly learning disabilities. She's also volunteered and worked with the Special Olympics. The SWFA has a large fleet of cycles and adaptive bikes which cater for a wide range of individuals with additional needs and service users who want to rebuild their confidence and fitness.

Lydia Robinson said…

"I don’t really recall learning how to ride a bike because for as long as I can remember we went on family cycle rides. However when I became a teenager my long-term complex health conditions deteriorated and sport/cycling became too tiring. My younger brother is autistic and attended a Special School; I became involved in running a Special Olympics group at the school and became passionate about disability sport.

"So I decided to become an Occupational Therapist with an emphasis on disability sport and whilst at university I volunteered at Solihull Wheels for All (SWFA).

I truly believe we can enable everyone to experience the thrill of cycling

Lydia Robinson

"SWFA has a large fleet of bicycles and adaptive bikes and we cater for a wide range of individuals with additional needs and service users who want to rebuild their confidence and/or fitness and I truly believe we can enable everyone to experience the thrill of cycling. 

"In 2019, I became a trustee when we became an independent charity and we welcomed 1732 service users with 46% of women. In 2020 just after the first COVID-19 lockdown I became project coordinator and I have used this time to apply for funding to purchase a trailer. 

"The trailer has enabled us to take our bikes to organisations who are currently unable to get to us and enable our progression from the athletics track to local parks & trails and enhance their cycling ability. Being engaged in this project has ignited my interest in cycling again. I now use an e-bike which has given me confidence in cycling and I have recently been out with Lichfield Breeze rides, gentle rides with Solihull Cycling Club and feel this has improved my health and wellbeing and more importantly has bought me joy and happiness."

Nominated by…

Lydia was nominated for the 100 Women in Cycling by Paul Robinson, who said: 

"I will declare my bias / interest, Lydia is my 28 year-old daughter. She has been a volunteer and trustee at Solihull Wheels For All for around seven years and took over as the paid coordinator last year.

She inspires people through her compassion and happy go ahead attitude

Paul Robinson

"Her passion is working with people with disabilities and in particular learning disabilities. She has also volunteered and worked with Special Olympics and sailability. She inspires people through her compassion and happy go ahead attitude and promotes cycling for the less able through her hard work."