1. APRIL 29, 2015 The weekly review 13
“I
rejoice every time I see a woman ride by on a
bike,” American suffragette and civil rights
leader Susan B. Anthony wrote in 1896. “It gives
her a feeling of self-reliance and independence
the moment she takes her seat; and away she
goes, the picture of untrammelled womanhood.”
Pedal through time to Melbourne in 2015 and, despite
design changes and technical tweaks, the humble
bicycle remains the symbolic “freedom machine”.
SpokesWomen, a community cycling program based
at North Melbourne Football Club’s The Huddle, is
using pedal power to make a difference to the lives of
newly arrived refugees and asylum seekers.
A collaboration between Docklands’ Good Cycles, a
social enterprise bicycle workshop, and not-for-profit
organisation The Squeaky Wheel, which “celebrates
bicycles as vehicles for change”, SpokesWomen provides
women and girls from culturally diverse backgrounds
with bicycles and training by local mentors.
“The participants who take part in our courses cannot
afford their own bicycle and the accessories needed to
legally and safely ride in the city,” says Good Cycles
co-founder Loretta Curtin. “They also have limited
opportunities to learn to cycle in Melbourne. They may
have ridden in their country of origin but have not tried
in Australia because of the city traffic.”
The month-long free program is funded by the
Victorian Women’s Benevolent Trust and the City of
Melbourne, and run by a peloton of volunteers keen to
give girls and young women a leg-up in life.
“Once they feel confident, they can ride to
school, ride to the shops and ride to see their
friends. They have a new-found sense of
independence and confidence,” Curtin says.
Asma, 15, turned up at SpokesWomen for
the graduation session of the March 2015
cohort. The oldest of seven children, Asma’s
family settled in Melbourne after arriving
from Afghanistan as refugees. Gregarious
WHEEL POWER
Pedal power is making
a difference to the lives
of refugees, writes
isabelle lane
In gear: Rubel learns the finer points
of bike control from Jo Pizzey.
Confidence: Asma with her bike.
(DARREN HOWE)
and clad in black hi-top sneakers, the Parkville
secondary student is excited and nervous about
today’s final road test – a group ride around the
streets of North Melbourne.
Asma and nine other girls congregate outside in
the late afternoon sun, helmets buckled up. Asma
hones in on a steel-blue hybrid bike that she’ll get
to take home if she passes today’s test. Abandoned
bikes avoid landfill and come to Good Cycles, where
they are restored by a team of mechanics and
donated to SpokesWomen graduates. The girls are
also kitted out with lights, locks and helmets
donated by Knog and Nutcase.
Squeaky Wheel executive director Jette
Achleitner rallies the girls and leads off.
Some are shaky; others pedal confidently.
“Let’s head for the great open space
shall we?” mentor Jo Pizzey says to
» The next SpokesWomen program begins in
May. To get involved as a mentor or participant
contact: loretta@goodcycles.org
» www.goodcycles.org
» www.thesqueakywheel.com.au
young rider Rubel. Pizzey, who works in marketing
at NAB, describes SpokesWomen as one of the best
community programs she’s seen.
“Having a bike gives you independence and freedom
and a sense of control over your own destiny,” she says.
“There’s not many places and things you can’t do in
terms of exploring a city on a bike.
“Not only is it a really inspiring group of women
leading it, but there’s such a lovely diversity in the
groups participating. I think, for the girls, that it’s really
empowering. I hope the girls get a bit of confidence and
a bit of fire in their belly to get out there and explore.”
Empowerment and confidence are running themes at
SpokesWomen.
Asma, who hopes to become a doctor, Skypes
regularly with her extended family in Afghanistan.
They’re impressed by her new skills, but life is very
different for her female cousins.
“It’s sad. Girls aren’t allowed to ride bikes there,” she
says. “Women should be equal to men. Anything men
can do, women can do as well.”
Half an hour passes, and the group rolls back to The
Huddle. Asma is beaming and there’s a sense of elation
among the group. “Asma did really well,” Achleitner
says. It’s welcome news for the budding rider; she’ll
graduate today and take her cherished bike home.
“There are huge practical advantages to riding a
bicycle,” says Good Cycles’ Curtin. “But we often forget
how large the psychological impact can be. Cycling
builds independence, a healthy exercise routine, it is
affordable and it allows people to be mobile. This is
particularly important for girls and women.”
And what’s the most rewarding aspect for the
volunteers that make these wheels go round? “Seeing the
smiles on the girls’ faces and the sense of confidence and
achievement after a ride!”
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there’s
a sense of
elation