Julie and Sam in Rotherham

Julie and Sam Sharp, both 39, share a love for spending time together and exploring a variety of activities that keep them active and connected. Sam grew up on the Wirral and Julie in Rotherham, but they’ve built a shared routine that includes regular personal training sessions via WhatsApp video calls. 

They first discovered Sheffield Cycling 4 All (SC4A) during the COVID-19 lockdowns, when they joined the organisation’s Tuesday evening yoga sessions on Zoom. These online meet-ups provided a welcome way to stay active and connected at a time when face-to-face activities weren’t possible. 

“It was great to do exercise throughout the lockdowns. We were sad when it ended.” 

For them, exercise is more than just a way to stay fit—it’s something that boosts their mood, lifts their spirits, and improves their physical health. 

“Exercise makes us buzz and feel emotionally and mentally good. It also helps our physical health.” 

Sam and Julie’s introduction to cycling came through SC4A’s pilot programme at Herringthorpe Stadium in Rotherham—a series funded by Rotherham Council in Spring and Summer 2025. Over six sessions, nearly 100 people took part. These sessions gave Julie and Sam a safe, traffic-free environment to ride together without the need to travel to Sheffield, making cycling accessible, enjoyable, and part of their routine. 

They would love to see these sorts of cycling sessions return and expand—both at Herringthorpe and in other Rotherham parks—so that cycling can become a regular fixture for them and others in the local community. 

“When you are cycling you feel the wind in your hair and everything just feels ok whilst you are riding.” 

Their story is a reminder of how cycling can bring joy, improve wellbeing, and strengthen connections—but also of the importance of making such opportunities local, safe, and sustainable. With the success of the Herringthorpe pilot, expanding projects like SC4A into places like Rotherham could help many more people experience that same uplifting “buzz” that Sam and Julie have found.