205 – Diversity & Inclusion In MTB with Aneela McKenna

Photo Credits: Ian Linton (left) & Andy McCandlish (right)

Today’s Guest:

Co-Chair of the British Cycling Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Group, MTB guiding business owner, winner of the Local Hero of the Year Award and the list hasn’t even got started – Aneela McKenna

On episode 205 it is my pleasure to be chatting with Aneela McKenna about her background in the MTB scene, her list of impressive achievements, how she has helped her husband build a very successful MTB guiding company in Scotland called Go Where Scotland over the last 13 years and how her public work in diversity and inclusion has carried over into her love for mountain biking, plus lots more!

Thanks for tuning in. Enjoy the show!

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Right click here and ‘Save as’ to download to your computer.

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Find Out:

How Aneela got interested in bikes and mountain biking
Why she didn’t really get into it for around 5 years
How Go Where Scotland got started
What it is like running a guiding business
What the Tweed Valley scene is like
The problems Aneela sees regarding diversity and inclusion in mountain biking
Why the mountain bike industry are changing things and moving in the correct direction regarding these issues
Why Aneela is stoked with the mountain bike community and feels the future looks bright for tackling diversity and inclusion
The work Aneela is doing through the British Cycling Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Group helping brands and companies make a change
What we all can do to educate ourselves on these topics
Where we can go to find out more information and get more involved
How to find out more about Aneela and what she is up to

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I was stoked to get Aneela on the show and have a chat, but when I was doing research about her career and involvement in the mountain bike scene, she was involved in so many awesome campaigns that it blew my mind. I wasn’t quite sure where to start and how to link all this awesome work that Aneela has done and continues to do together to make sense of it for you guys, but I think we got there in the end and have a great episode for you guys covering a tonne of important information regarding diversity and inclusion in the sport, lifestyle or hobby that we all love and care about.

Just to give you an idea, here is some of the stuff Aneela has done in the past (I am not sure if this is over one or two lifetimes!)

20 years+ Diversity and Inclusion experience in the public sector
Co-Chair, British Cycling’s Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Group
10 years+ running Go-Where Scotland
5+ years professional MBL/Level 3 mountain bike guide
Board Member and Secretary of Tweed Valley Trails Association
Speaker at BAME Leadership Conference on Overcoming Barriers and Building Resilience (February 2020)
Co-founder of the FNY Collective – a not for profit organisation empowering women on bicycles (January 2020)
Cycling UK Outdoor Expedition Qualification
Masters Degree in Equality and Discrimination from the University of Strathclyde
Personal Fitness Trainer

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And this is what Aneela and her husband achieved in 2019 with their guiding business Go Where Scotland:

Winner, DMBinS Scottish MTB Tour Operator of the Year 2019
Winner, DMBinS Best MTB Event ‘Ride With Your Mates’ 2019 (FNY Collective Event, Aneela is one of the event organisers along with the talented Emma Neale, Zoe Hodgskin and Katy Winton)
Winner, DMBinS Scottish MTB Local Hero of the Year 2019
Winner, DMBinS Scottish Coaching / Guiding Company of the Year 2019

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We chat with Aneela about all of the above and have a good chat about women in mountain biking, how it has changed over the years and how with the help of women only bike camps and events we are starting to see more women get on bikes, hit the trails and become a very important part of the mountain bike industry.

We also chat about the work Aneela is doing to bring awareness about the issues we have in the mountain bike scene regarding diversity and inclusion and how we can all get involved through education, getting outside our own bubbles and learning more about these serious issues that affect so many people. In saying that, Aneela thinks we are moving in the correct direction and if we keep building awareness regarding these issues the future looks very bright for the mountain bike communities to lead the way, and make this awesome activity accessible to everyone nomatter what your colour, sex, background, etc.

So take an hour, put your feet up and tune in as we chat about some very important issues concerning us all, and have a good old laugh about Aneela winning four awards in one night and taking over the stage!

Thanks for being here. It takes us all!

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To Connect with Aneela:

Instagram: mrsgowherescotland

Facebook: aneela.mckenna

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To Connect with Go Where Scotland:

Website: www.go-where.co.uk

Instagram: gowherescotlandmtb

Facebook: gowherescotlandmtb

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For more information on the above topics see: