Words by Smiley Team
In 2016 news headlines showed the rising number of refugees risking their lives to cross the Mediterranean Sea. Spurred into action by this worrying fact, a small group of cyclists set out on a mission to support them – and so Thighs of Steel was born. This year Thighs of Steel are driving home their core message by cycling across the South of England on a world record-breaking route that will spell out “Refugees Welcome”.
Recalling their early days, Thighs of Steel co-founder Olivia Kasteel-Hare said: “We just needed to do something. So we asked ourselves what skills we had that could make this situation even just the tiniest bit better.”
On a journey from Lands End to John O’Groats, Olivia had met a group of other cyclists who were keen to set off on another adventure together. “We knew how to ride a bike. We’re pretty good at organising things. It was an issue that people felt emotional and passionate about. So we just did it,” she said.
After convincing a bunch of friends that cycling 140km a day through Europe during a heat wave was a good idea, the group set off on their 4,000km voyage from London to Athens. After six weeks of adventure, they finally arrived at the welcoming doors of Khora, a community centre run by and for refugees. The money raised by this first ride helped the Khora community feed a thousand displaced people a day in their sit-down, table-service restaurant, as well as offer them free clothing and legal aid.
Once it was over and they’d returned home, they knew they couldn’t stop there. Olivia recalled: “We had the best time, and at the end of it, after a couple of weeks of recovery, we just looked at each other and said: ‘Cool, we’re going to do this again, aren’t we?’ And that was it really.”
After this first fundraising adventure, a growing band of “Steelies” cycled and fundraised their way from London to Athens every year until the Covid-19 pandemic struck.
For 2021 Thighs of Steel have planned a staycation fundraising adventure called Spell It Out. Using phones and GPS devices, participants are tracking a route that will write the words “Refugees Welcome” across their digital maps. If they succeed, at over 2,400km long, the ride will break the Guinness World Record for the largest bike-powered GPS drawing ever.
Since the first fundraisers set out on 12th June 2021, they’ve collectively cycled 1,673 kilometres and raised over £16,000, all of which will be distributed via Choose Love to projects that support refugees and asylum seekers with vocational training, psychological counselling and legal advice.
“I can’t emphasise enough how important this money is for grassroots organisations,” said Thighs of Steel’s David Charles. “Around 2016 there was a huge amount of support for refugees, but since then funding has been slowly disappearing, at exactly the same time that the government’s ‘hostile environment’ has really been hitting the UK.”
Anyone can join the Spell It Out adventure until September, and those who can’t reach the South of England are encouraged to cycle heart-shaped routes anywhere in the world.
Thighs of Steel encourage people with any level of cycling experience to participate. As a women-led organisation, their expeditions have more female presence than others and they foster a welcoming and friendly culture.
Olivia added: “No one’s left behind. You don’t have to worry you’re not fast enough. It’s really supportive and not at all competitive. If you don’t own Lycra, that’s totally fine. If your bike isn’t super fancy, that’s totally fine – just as long as it’s safe and will get you up hills!”
To help raise more funds and have an adventure this summer, join Spell it Out here.
Find further information at thighsofsteel.com.
