A woman from Merseyside has been included in Cycling UK’s 100 Women in Cycling for her role in promoting the mental health benefits of cycling.

Paula Bailey had suffered from post-natal depression after the birth of her first child and wanted to find people to cycle with.

After being put in touch with someone who was looking to set up a group, they founded the Liverpool Loopline Ladies Cycling Club. Since the club started Paula has led rides every week, in all weather conditions.

Paula says: “Since we started the group and starting cycling regularly together it’s really helped my mental health. It’s really beneficial to me.”

She joins TV presenter and personality Gail Porter, four-time Olympic gold medal winner Laura Kenny CBE and Olympic gold-medallist Nicole Cooke MBE in the cycling charity’s list recognising significant achievements in promoting women’s cycling.

The women have all been recognised in celebration of the work they have done to inspire other women to get on their bikes as part of the national cycling charity’s Women’s Festival of Cycling, which runs until the end of July.

Although the number of women cycling has increased during lockdown, men are still cycling nearly twice as much as women. The Women’s Festival of Cycling aims to address that imbalance by inspiring more women to get in the saddle.

Related posts:

Miniature Olympic Village coming to Liverpool ONE Sports stars to back city’s Commonwealth Games bid I Am Team GB: Six free Liverpool region events for sports fans Sports grants launched to mark Commonwealth Day Liverpool’s ‘transformational’ Commonwealth Games plans revealed Liverpool to bid for 2022 World Gymnastics Championships