Congratulations to Becky Hair, who has been nominated for Cycling UK’s ‘100 Women in Cycling’ for 2019.
The annual list celebrates inspirational women who are encouraging others to cycle, something that Becky does every week alongside her job as a physiotherapist at Royal Papworth.
It’s a hobby that she started several years ago, wearing second hand men’s cycling kit and an old road bike lent to her by her dad.
“The bike didn’t really fit me properly, I had no idea how to ride it, and I was wearing pass-me-down cycling clothes which just looked ridiculous,” Becky recalled of her initial cycling experience.
“I used it for commuting when studying at university, then went to do my Masters in Birmingham and got into triathlon. From then on the bike was used for racing and the addiction started!
“I realised how few women were in cycling and how we experience quite a lot of discrimination within the sport, so I began taking ladies bike maintenance courses at one of the local bike shops in Birmingham. I absolutely loved taking them, and loved seeing the women grow in confidence so they felt they could go out riding on their own.”
Becky then moved to Cambridge in August 2017 to begin work at Royal Papworth and continues to motivate other people to get into cycling.
She is now one of only six female cycling ambassadors on the Specialized Ambassador Programme, a role that she fulfils among a number of other commitments.
It’s these responsibilities that have led to Becky’s nomination, which will involve attending an events ceremony at the Houses of Parliament on Monday 1 July.
“I have completed my bike leadership course, so I lead monthly ladies bike rides, I take regular bike maintenance courses and I lead some sessions for Cambridge City Council called ‘Meet, Pedal, Chat’.
“It’s all about increasing confidence levels on the bike, and I’m going to bringing this into the workplace at Royal Papworth too with a number of bike maintenance courses and ‘Getting back into cycling’ sessions.
“I’m very lucky to be nominated for this award and can’t wait for the trip down to London.”