Katherine Blaker

I decided to start cycling when I moved to York pregnant, and wanted to change my way of life as I started a family.  I have cycled ever since, with that baby, small child, now teen mostly for getting about York, and enjoying being outside in nature. I am a day to day advocate for cycling, supporting friends, family and colleagues to get on bikes. I work in social housing and offer my experience of the issues that prevent people cycling and knowledge of housing development planning processes.

Instead of privately griping about crappy cycling infrastructure, I thought it’s time to get active and make a positive contribution. The mega fun mass bikes rides have got me interested in supporting creative, fun and inclusive events for people of all ages and abilities. It’s important to me to identify and remove the invisible or social barriers that put people off riding bikes. And to have fun in the process!

Andy D’Agorne

I’ve worked with Andy Farndale to make our ‘pop up’ supervised bike parks a real success: 2024 Xmas Fair, Residents Weekend, Viking Festival, York Mela. We spoke at the national Active City Conference in July, marked by our 25th anniversary Millennium Bridge bike ride. I also helped pull together our 100 strong ‘Glow Ride’. Helped by ward reps, I write regular newsletter / Facebook reports. We’ve achieved a lot, but still have more potential with greater membership activity for 2026.

2026 will be ‘once in a decade’ opportunity for our campaign to TRANSFORM CYCLING IN YORK. Growing membership must be a key priority, but so will shaping the narrative, returning York to being a top cyclists’ city. Transformation of the centres of Leeds Bradford and Sheffield illustrate the potential from the proposed bus + cycle only route over Ouse Bridge, coupled with replacing castle car park with public greenspace around Clifford’s Tower. I’ll help YCC have real impact on these changes.

Michael Driscoll

Secretary

I grew up in car-dependent California and moved to York almost two years ago. I’ve been a cycle commuter for most of my life and still I live car-free with my family in Acomb. Over the past year, I’ve served as the secretary of the campaign, written an app to support SecureCycle York, attended Civic Trust meetings and the Active Travel England conference as a YCC rep, helped organise a joint ride with Cambridge Bike Party, and organised YCC responses to dozens of Council planning proposals.

I’m interested in 1) hosting fun events like Kidical Mass, the Glow Ride, and Bike Party that encourage more people to cycle; 2) working with parents in the Acomb area to develop a Bike Bus along Hamilton Drive; 3) using open data to assess and advocate for local infrastructure changes like the Rougier Route; and 4) updating YCC’s IT infrastructure to increase member engagement and retention.

James Euesden

Treasurer

I am a keen utility and leisure cyclist. I live in York with my wife and two sons and we all cycle (and walk) around the city. I believe York could be doing much more to facilitate and encourage cycling for everybody.

I have been the treasurer for the York Cycle Campaign for the past four years. I am an accountant for the Food Standards Agency, and I will continue to bring my financial expertise to the role.

Dorinda Gear

I’ve lived and cycled in York over 20 years getting to work, school, shops, exploring, by bike. I’d like to see bolder measures to encourage and enable people in York to cycle and use public transport. nIn 2015 I was knocked off my bike on Fishergate. Since then I’ve cycled more; and joined York Cycle!n I’ve helped recruit, write press releases. I’m a Ward Rep and Social Media Rep. raising issues, producing content to promote the campaign, attract members and inform on wider active travel news.

I’ve been Social Media Rep. about 3yrs. I use continuity of language, design and images, increasing our visibility so we are seen by a wider audience who share our passion. Being on committee helps best shape content to reflect the voice of York Cycle and members.

Next year promises more exciting content sharing views, experiences, celebrating cycling, encouraging more people to get involved with action/events/roles and create a positive pro-cycling vibe.

Joseph Gilling

I’m Joe and I’ve been cycling since I was about three years old! I’ve cycled to (nearly) every job I’ve ever had. Some will have met me on monthly social rides, or on Kiddical Mass rides where I sometimes stand in as ride leader. This year I’ve been working on recruitment, attending fairs, festivals and bike marking events. Outside of YCC I also run other cycle initiatives like York Beer u0026amp; Bike Social Club, and along with Michael organised York’s first ever Bike Party earlier in the summer!

With Leah’s departure, I’d like to step up and run a renewed recruitment team. I plan to put together a calendar of key events throughout the year for York Cycle Campaign to be present at to spread our message and to gather more members to the campaign. I’ll continue helping to run the mass-ride events as I believe they are a great way to make ourselves visible as road users and as human beings! I’ll continue our monthly social rides along with Andy D and Michael so hopefully see you there!

Robyn Jankel

Chair

I have been chair or co-chair of YCC for the past six years. In that time I have led protest rides, represented us on other committees, spoken on radio and TV programmes, argued for us at council meetings, and co-written our manifesto 42 Ways to Transform York. In 2022, I was named one of Cycling UK’s 100 Women in Cycling. I also cycled across the Pennines and along the Danube on my trusty old flower-covered Dutch bike to prove that anyone can cycle when the conditions are right!

I want all of us who pedal around our beautiful city to do so with safety, convenience, and ease. I truly believe cycling is a panacea, and that most people would do it given the reliable opportunity. I want to continue working with our council and the citizens of York to ensure active travel is treated like the vital component of society it should be. I will always speak up on behalf of everyone who cycles, and those who would do so if they could.

Emma Murphy

Hi, I’m Emma, an experienced personal trainer with a passion for keeping active, stemming from years of ballet training, cycling and strength training. Cycling has developed my resilience through sport events and commuting and has highlighted need for education on how to cycle safely regardless of your age or ability. Completing my cycling coaching and ride leadership courses will allow me to improve cycling accessibility in our community.

Working in fitness has highlighted the health benefits of cycling for commuting and leisure. Therefore, I will work with school bike buses and build links with groups such as York Bike Bells to promote adult cycling training so that we can all be safe on the roads. Fear of cycling with traffic prevents many cycling. I aim to liaise with the council to educate vehicle users on bicycle awareness and the highway code. Everyone deserves to feel safe cycling on the roads, let’s make it happen!

Andy Shrimpton

A partner in Cycle Heaven, on the YCC committee since our re-incarnation in 2017, first as Chair, then Recruitment then Coms Lead, I was project manager of 42 Ways to Transform York, and lately Co-ordinator of the MB25 Anniversary Ride. A York cyclist for 35 years, I’ve built a cycle business, raised two kids on bikes, as well as completing countless cycle tours. My professional and activist career is focussed on urbanism – making our community a more sustainable and civilised place to live.

I work on the committee as Coms Lead and Press Officer, currently working to improve internal (membership) communication. I also work as a jack-of-all-trades committee member, with flexibility to act quickly as and when needed – which I can balance with my day job. I also help on group rides, appear on local media, bring my industry background to the cycle security group, as well as pick up various other tasks that wash up on the desk of the committee from time to time.

Gavin Welch

I’ve lived in York for just over 10 years, and have been cycling around the city since day one, using my bikes for commuting, shopping, and now even nursery trips. I’m a confident rider, but believe cycling needs to be welcoming for everyone—I understand not all riders feel safe.

I’m passionate that better cycle infrastructure is key to attracting new riders, improving the experience of existing cyclists, and ultimately benefiting everyone in the city by providing higher quality urban spaces.

I previously served on the committee since YCC’s inception in 2017, taking a break last year following the birth of my child.

I’ve previously helped the campaign respond to planning and infrastructure consultations. I want to build on this by creating a resource kit to help members to do the same. Explaining how to read technical plans and form strong responses by applying current national design guidance for cycle infrastructure.