Meet the volunteer who encouraged more women to go cycling

Some of the Five Miles to Fabulous (5MTF) regulars recently gathered at The Courtyard Café in St Albans to celebrate a long-standing member of the group. Angela Thoday came along to the fourth 5MTF ride back in 2008 and has been encouraging and supporting the group ever since.

“Earlier this year we felt it was high time Angela’s contribution to the success of 5MTF was recognised,” Rona said. “We wrote to Cycling UK to enquire about an award. This morning it was a great pleasure to present Angela with her bronze Lifetime Achievement certificate and special badge.”

5MTF was an initiative aimed at encouraging more women to cycle started by Cycling UK back in 2007. The women-only rides were short, easy paced and social. They usually included a café stop at around the halfway mark. South Herts CTC organised their first 5MTF ride that year and they have gone from strength to strength ever since.

Rona said of the rides: “We love seeing the transformation in women from nervous wobblers to confident cyclists who lead their families on rides or go out on their own, cycling for fitness, health and transport.”

At first, there were a couple of rides per year, rising to four and now there are more than eight Saturday morning rides every year. To date, a total of 141 rides have been organised with 91 different riders. Central to their success are the supportive leaders, and this is where Angela comes in.

She has been an active contributor to the rides for 16 years, since her first – and the group’s fourth – in June 2008. In that time, she’s attended 80 rides – more than any other member other than the founder leader.

She quickly became an excellent back-marker. She is celebrated for her “calm presence” on the rides, said Rona, “usually at the back of the group encouraging any stragglers, a vital role and a huge help to the ride leader.”

Ride leader

In 2016, she decided to formalise this by taking one of Cycling UK’s ride leader courses and becoming a registered ride leader with South Herts CTC. She also persuaded another regular participant, Teresa Clarke, to attend the training at Watford Cycle Hub.

Said Rona: “It was a huge relief to our then sole leader to have additional registered ride leaders and lets us offer two ride groups. Teresa takes the more confident riders on ‘Further Faster’ rides and Angela and I focus on the more nervous and inexperienced riders.”

Angela has been a vital contributor to the success of Five Miles to Fabulous and we would like to see this recognised by a volunteer award

Rona, Five Miles to Fabulous ride leader

In the early years of 5MTF, church coffee mornings offered the coffee break. Angela delighted in purchasing bric-a-brac, plants, cakes, jigsaws and jams, which “greatly enhanced the reputation of our cycling group” said Rona.

“Sleapshyde Methodist Chapel was a particular favourite and we would arrive to a warm welcome, shouts of ‘they’re here!’ preceding us into the chapel. Dwindling numbers of church members meant the chapel closed in 2011; Angela and I attended the thanksgiving service.”

Angela lives with multiple sclerosis, and her bicycle is an important aid to mobility, extending her range beyond limited walking distance. As the condition progressed, an e-bike kept her going.

Her expertise in the use of e-bikes has proven useful on 5MTF rides. On one occasion, a woman with a very heavy e-bike was struggling in hilly terrain. Angela took her on a flatter diversion to coach her on proper use of electric assistance and to assure her that sensible use of the motor was not ‘cheating’.

“Angela brings assurance and encouragement with her on the rides,” Rona added. “She also supports the group as an enthusiastic promoter of the rides. A significant number of women have come to Five Miles to Fabulous because Angela recommended they give us a try.”

Common sense and experience

Angela was for several years a member of the St Albans Cycle Campaign committee. The organisation benefitted greatly from her common sense and positive outlook, as well as her experience as a slower, female cyclist.

Angela has recently had to stop cycling as it has become physically difficult for her. Said Rona: “We are glad that we still get to see her on social occasions, including meals and cinema meet-ups – Angela is talented at picking enjoyable films for us to enjoy.

“She has been a vital contributor to the success of Five Miles to Fabulous and we would like to see this recognised by a volunteer award.”

Cycling UK would like to join the Five Miles to Fabulous riders and CTC South Herts in congratulating her for her Bronze Lifetime Achievement award in our Going the Extra Mile Awards and thank her for her hard work.