West Midlands mum celebrates helping 100 women learn to swim and cycle thanks to Triathlon England and Walsall Borough Council

Nazneen Gulzar, who moved to Walsall from Birmingham in 2018 with a five-week-old baby, was inspired to set up the Simple Steps programme to help break down barriers for other mum’s and women from a range of international backgrounds to take part in sport and be active.

Naz, 42, found there were limited opportunities for women from similar backgrounds in her new community to take part in sport when she moved to Walsall.

She said: “When we set up the programme, we wanted to break down some of those cultural barriers which hold women back. A lot of them are part of cultures where they are supposed to stay at home and be reliant on men in a whole range of areas.”

Naz was never taught how to ride a bike or swim when growing up, and she found that women across generations were in the same situation. She wanted to set up Simple Steps to break down cultural and generational barriers.

The initiative is now at the heart of the community offering weekly swimming and cycling sessions in Walsall every Monday and Tuesday, with 75 women taking part in the classes each week. The programme also provides practical ‘skills for life’ sessions which helps women in other areas of their lives.

The youngest person on the programme is 18 and the oldest is 75, with several mums and daughters participating together. Naz hopes that the classes can help improve their confidence.

She said: “Fear and the fear of the water and falling off a bike is a big barrier. For many, they are first women to learn how to swim or ride a bike in their family.

“The impact of doing that is huge in terms of the confidence and skills it gives them in other areas of their lives.”

One participant, Kubra, has felt the impact of the Simple Steps since its formation. She said: “When I first started, I used to be scared. Now I feel a little bit comfortable. I feel so calm and relaxed.”

Triathlon England has supported the project in the West Midlands. Their partnership with Simple Steps hopes to also improve the mental well-being of participants whilst also offering a safe space for families at the Sons of Rest Centre in Walsall.

Cathy Brown, National Partnerships Manager, British Triathlon commented: “As a young sport triathlon is unique in having its roots founded in equality - women and men have always raced over the same distances. It’s important we break down gender barriers to participation at all levels and Simple Steps is a great example of how to do this. It’s brilliant to see how women are being empowered in other areas of their lives by learning how to swim and cycle.”

The Simple Steps programme is also supported by the Active Black Country, Triathlon Trust, One Walsall, Cycling UK, Walsall Bike Project and Sons of Rest Community Centre.