Photography: Adrianos Falkonakis, Chloe Tomkinson, Megan Levick, Simon Webb
By Megan Levick and Kate Dening

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“I left feeling so empowered.”

Greater Manchester’s cycling community came together on Saturday for the second annual Lights Up night-time bike ride, an event designed to raise awareness of the issues women face when cycling, especially in the darker winter months.

The event, which saw over 150 women take part, began in All Saints Park, where cyclists gathered clad in brightly coloured outfits with fairy lights decorating their helmets and bike frames to form a procession through the streets of Manchester.

Led by Manchester’s first Bicycle Mayor, Belinda Everett, Lights Up aims to challenge the underrepresentation of female cyclists and promote safer, more inclusive cycling environments across the region.

When asked what sparked her motivation to create this event, Belinda said: “There are very few events or spaces where women can come together and cycle. Especially in Greater Manchester right now, the number of women cyclists is still really, really low. So, having an event like this gives them an opportunity to all come together and ride together.”

The event formed part of Manchester’s official European Capital of Cycling celebrations and is part of a wider campaign aimed at igniting a cultural shift to address the underrepresentation of female cyclists on the streets of Greater Manchester and the challenges they face. By gathering together and increasing visibility as an “illuminated, empowered collective”, the Lights Up ride aims to encourage women to be confident and assertive on their bikes year-round.

This year’s ride, organised in partnership with Bee Pedal Ready, Station South, Manchester Metropolitan University, We Are Cycling UK, MCRActive, TfGM and Starling Bikes, kicked off with a striking view of Manchester Met’s School of Digital Arts (SODA) building illuminated to mark the start of the journey.

Addressing the cyclists ahead of the ride, Belinda said: “Everybody looks absolutely amazing,” before reflecting on why the event had been created. “The main reason we are here is because we do not feel safe on our GM roads. We wanted to create this campaign to say to councils that we want these roads to be safer for us, but ultimately safer for everybody.”

Commenting on the significance of the event, Belinda added: “At the moment, only 6% of women cycle regularly, and that number drops even further in the winter. Lights Up is about increasing visibility, building confidence, and sending a message to local authorities that roads must be safer for everyone.”

Head of Partnerships at the Institute of Sport, Laura Hickman-Sparkes said: “The Institute of Sport is involved in the European Capital of Cycling because I’ve kindly been given a place on the board there. It’s really important for the university to be involved in this, as it’s really helping people to get moving, to cycle more, and to raise awareness around the challenges associated with cycling in the city.”

Laura added: “One thing we’re especially excited about this evening is lighting up our School of Digital Arts in support of the ride this evening. After dark, you’ll see huge fireworks on the screens and a big ‘Lights Up’ display. It’s really important to show the university’s support for this event and to highlight the challenges women face when cycling in the dark at night.”

After the ride, the celebration continued at Victoria Baths, where riders gathered for hot food, drinks, and a chance to unwind. A special exhibition hosted by Manchester Met’s student magazine aAh! showcased creative work by students – including journalism, photography, illustration and film – that captured the spirit of Lights Up and its core messages.

Natalie Carragher, senior lecturer in Multimedia Journalism and exhibition coordinator, said: “We are delighted to be part of Lights Up this year. Our students have joined the campaign, interviewing cyclists from across Greater Manchester about their experiences, creating original artwork, illustrations, photography and films, and working together to bring a range of creative projects to showcase as part of an ambitious exhibition.

“The exhibition celebrates the achievements of women in cycling, explores new narratives in sports, and supports inclusivity and visibility within our community.”

Laura Hickman-Sparkes added: “The student involvement in terms of the magazine and the exhibition this evening has been fantastic. Hopefully, this ride has created an opportunity for students to be involved in a meaningful way in what we’re doing – to raise awareness of cycling and to bring a new view to that – to bring lots of new viewpoints and to think about the challenges that women and different communities face.”

MA Multimedia Journalism student Kate Dening was featured in the exhibition and also took part in the ride, which saw the collective travel through Whitworth and Platt Fields park. She said: “It was incredible to cycle with so many women through the parks that I would never cycle through alone in the dark. My experience of the cycle was invaluable, I left feeling so empowered.”

Speaking about the afterparty, Kate said: “It was a wonderful way to end the ride, the community aspect felt so strong towards the end of the evening. To see my work and the work of fellow MMU students surrounding the riders was a very special experience.”

Lights Up attendee Kate Harding from Stretford added: “‘As the nights get darker, your confidence really dips.” She stressed the importance of events like Lights Up and the confidence and sense of community that these spaces can create.

Similarly, attendee Rachel Matthews, a lecturer at Manchester Met and keen cyclist from The Forest of Bowland, said: “I cycle a lot – it’s my thing – but I see very few women out on their bikes. It’s really lovely to see all of these wonderful women gathered with their bikes, feeling excited and happy to be here.

Rachel also highlighted one of the key issues that Lights Up wants to challenge; the people who don’t believe cyclists deserve to take up space on the road. Rachel said: “I am part of the assertive cycling movement, which is about taking up your road position, claiming your space and riding safely.”

She added: “I love riding my bike, and the idea of coming together with a group of women to get on our bikes, empower each other, and be out with our lights, our sparkle, and our enthusiasm just made me think: ‘Yeah, I want to be part of that!’ And here I am. We need more people on bikes.”

Many participants expressed the sense of freedom that cycling grants them. Lights Up Ride leader Eve Holt from Whalley Range said: “I have ridden my bike on the streets of Manchester all of my life and I love that sense of freedom.” She added: “It feels so freeing and liberating.”

Eleanor Hargreaves, engineering graduate said: “I do enjoy the fact that it’s all women, especially what with the political situation that is going on in the US at the moment.  I’ve really been spending the last few days feeling a bit having a bit of an analyst view about the world, but being here it’s just an overwhelming sense of positivity.  Being around women, as a woman it’s obviously the best feeling there is.”

Eve, who has led organised rides for the past 20 years, expressed excitement and nerves about leading the Lights Up ride, describing how her role carries a sense of responsibility. She felt assured that the visibility of the Lights Up cycle meant that riders would “keep each other safe.”

Cyclists also shared some of the safety-related challenges they face, particularly when biking at night or alone. Second-year Textiles student at Manchester Met, Iola Watson joined the Lights Up ride with course mates Esther Mills, Amelia, and Fine Art student Mary-Lou, after hearing about the event on campus. Iola said, “I don’t like cycling alone, especially at night. I find it intimidating.”

Mary-Lou echoed this sentiment: “I would cycle at night a lot, and my friends would always worry about me.” Esther added that she prefers to ride with friends: “It feels much nicer and safer to bike together.”Many participants voiced the importance of safety in numbers.

Kate Harding, 41, from Stretford, said, “You’ve got that kind of safety in numbers. The fact that you’re together makes you much more visible.”

In her address to cyclists prior to the ride, Belinda acknowledged this as a key challenge for female cyclists. Belinda said: “The main reason we are here is because we do not feel safe on our GM roads”, highlighting that these issues must be addressed. “The reason we created this event was to say to councils that we want these roads to be safer for us, but inevitably to be safer for everyone.”

In her speech following the ride, Belinda said: “This event has been incredible, but it is a campaign. We do want change, and we do want progress. Hopefully next time, some change has happened, and eventually, we won’t need a Lights Up. That is the future.”

Belinda added: “We’ve had a partnership this year that’s been incredible – and that’s been with MMU.” Referring to the exhibition created by aAh! Magazine students, Belinda said that the work on display was “absolutely extraordinary” and that the students involved had “done an incredible job”.

Speaking at the event, Natalie Carragher said: “It’s such a pleasure to be here with you all tonight and share the stunning work of our aAh! Magazine students at this very special exhibition. Our talented team have produced a range of creative work including photography, illustration, films, poetry, printed t-shirts – and more. Our students have blown us away with their creativity and commitment to this project. They have produced a range of work to illuminate the core issues in cycling and we are very proud to be part of Lights Up.”

The celebratory atmosphere continued into the night as guests enjoyed a meal together in the iconic Victorian swimming pool. Manchester Met Textiles student Esther said: “There are so many people here! Everyone looks so colourful and fun, it’s a really exciting vibe.”

Third year English student Megan Hal read a poem she had written for the exhibition. She said: “I was nervous to read my poem at first as I didn’t want to bring down the jolly vibe, but Belinda was so lovely and I felt really uplifted by everyone who gave me a round of applause after I read my poem. It was great to share a small part of my story growing up cycling knowing that the women in the audience might relate to it.”

When asked how the Lights Up event has positively impacted her, Catherine Cory, who travelled from Glasgow for the event, said: “I’ve met a community of amazing women tonight. I feel really empowered and I feel healthier as well.” Catherine said the event was a source of inspiration for her to bring a similar event to Glasgow.

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The aAh! Magazine X Lights Up Exhibition will launch at Station South on Thursday 14th November and run until 19th December.

Additional reporting from Amy Corringham, Georgina Azzopardi, Megan Hall, Megan McArdle, Niamh Edgington.