Movement Park is a Glasgow-based charity that develops physical literacy through the power of play. Its mission is to help children and young people build skills, confidence and resilience through movement. Cycling has always been central to that mission, which is why the charity created Girls on Bikes – a dedicated programme giving girls the chance to learn, ride and progress in an environment designed specifically for them.
The programme grew from a clear observation: girls were less likely to join mixed sessions, often citing a lack of confidence, limited experience, or not wanting to stand out. By running female only blocks, led by female coaches, Movement Park has been able to remove those barriers and give participants space to focus on the basics, test themselves, and enjoy the social side of being active.
The sessions take place at the Glasgow BMX Centre in Knightswood. Each block runs for four weeks, is free to attend, and includes use of bikes and helmets, which removes cost and equipment as barriers.
Activities range from balance and bike-handling skills to time on the ramps and track. Sessions are deliberately supportive but challenging; structured enough to build progression, flexible enough for each rider to move at her own pace.
Having a female coach at the helm also makes a difference. As coach and BMX rider Amelie Collins-Nimmo explains:
“As a female coach and BMX rider, it’s fantastic to see the girls get genuinely excited about cycling. What I love about BMX is that there’s always room to grow: whether it’s pushing for faster times on the track or simply mastering a new skill, there’s always a next step. It’s such a broad, dynamic sport that never gets boring, and I feel privileged to be introducing the girls to it.”
irsty Mitchell, Movement Park Community Development Officer said:
“Even in such a short space of time, it’s been amazing to see their confidence grow and their ‘can-do’ attitude shine through – they’re ready to take on every challenge and keep going until they’ve mastered it. Through this project, I’m hopeful they’ll discover a real passion for cycling and feel inspired to keep learning and progressing with us.”
Funding from Scottish Cycling has been crucial in making Girls on Bikes possible. It has allowed Movement Park to deliver the sessions at no cost, provide bikes and safety equipment, and support its mission to remove barriers to participation.
This investment directly addresses some of the key challenges that can stop girls from cycling: affordability, accessibility, and a lack of visible role models. This programme also offers the unique opportunity to take on ramps and build up to going on the only Olympic Standard BMX track in Scotland.
The numbers may be small at this stage – 14 girls so far – but the difference for those involved is significant. Every rider has left with improved skills, more self-belief, and a sense of belonging in a space that might otherwise have felt closed off to them.
Research shows that girls drop out of sport in higher numbers than boys during their teenage years, often due to confidence, body image, and social pressures. Movement Park’s work is aimed squarely at changing that pattern, offering spaces where girls can see themselves in the sport and feel supported to stick with it.
Cycling offers benefits that extend far beyond fitness. It builds balance, coordination and strength; it creates independence; and it brings people together. For girls in particular, the chance to feel at home on a BMX track, often perceived as a male-dominated space, is especially valuable.
Movement Park plans to expand Girls on Bikes, alongside other femalefocused programmes such as Girls Do Parkour and Girls on Boards. The aim is clear: not only to get more girls moving, but to help build a culture where cycling and other urban sports are seen as open, welcoming and achievable for everyone.
For girls considering getting involved, the message is simple: you don’t need your own bike, you don’t need to be experienced, and you don’t need to fit a stereotype. Just come along and give it a go.
The next block of Girls on Bikes sessions begins on Tuesday 28th October. To register for that or one of the other girls programmes, visit www.movementpark.org.uk/girls-programmes.