Meet Team Type One Style!

Who are we?

Team Type One Style began with the goal of setting up a UK elite cycling team, made entirely of cyclists living with T1D. However, as we started recruiting the best riders in the UK, we quickly learnt that - across all sports - athletes living with T1D were missing a sense of community.

The team instantly expanded our reach to become a driven, passionate community of T1D athletes from a wide range of sports. We include the UK’s first (and only) registered cycling, running and triathlon teams made up entirely from athletes living, racing - and thriving - with T1D.

Team Type One Style is an independent sports team & entity that is exclusively sponsored by Type One Style Limited, a separate entity. 

What we do

The team is spearheaded by our registered cycling, running and triathlon teams. However - at heart – we’re an open community of athletes from all sports empowering each another to improve and excel. We’re passionate about the philosophy of collaboration driving innovation. Which is why we operate a ‘free-to-all’ community whose goal is improving lives for all of you living with T1D.

 Taking part in regular activity with T1D brings its own unique set of diabetes management challenges. These include keeping glucose levels in range, through to the practicalities and use of technology in monitoring blood glucose levels during sports.

 We’re educating and sharing experience in a variety of ways, including:

• Two weekly calls;
• Two weekly Zwift rides;
• Monthly in-person meet-ups; and
• Several highly active WhatsApp communities.

 In our video calls, we’re learning from both peers and experts who are teaching us the science of T1D. These calls are also designed to be motivational: sharing inspirational success stories and providing opportunities to learn from our failures.

Our community is supported by a range of organisations who share our vision. They help our registered athletes benefit from a range of free or discounted products or services - all facilitating members to regularly exercise with T1D.

 Currently, our community includes cyclists, runners, triathletes, open water swimmers, ultra-marathon runners, footballers, rugby players, rock climbers and rowers. But the sky’s the limit! There are no entry requirements to getting involved except:

• having T1D; and
• wanting to learn and help others.

Some of our key achievements

Without a shadow of a doubt, our biggest and proudest achievement is our community. It began between mid-2022 and January 2023 when we registered our cycling, running and triathlon teams. We have 37 registered athletes in our British Cycling together with those in other teams and are constantly expanding into new sports.

 In 2023 we took part in over 1,000 sporting events. These ranged from park runs all the way up to the 2023 UCI World Championships in Glasgow  - in which our very own T1D athlete, Tom Boshell, qualified and competed.

Team Type One Style's Future Vision

This team is dedicated to shifting the perception of T1D. Our mission is to inspire, empower and enhance the lives of those with T1D by building a globally supportive community of athletes living with T1D.

 Through a commitment to excellence and solidarity, we aim to achieve the following:

• Elevate our athletes to the international stage, showcasing the strength and resilience of those living with T1D.
• Establish Team Type One Style as a household name, offering inspiration and support to T1Ds worldwide.
• Help every member of our team achieve success, tailored to their own aspirations, whilst promoting better diabetes management and improved quality of life.
• Shift perceptions about T1D through increased awareness and wider publicity, both among the general public and within sporting communities.
• Empower newly diagnosed athletes, parents and caregivers by providing guidance and support.
• Collaborate with healthcare professionals and coaches to educate them on the best ways to assist T1D athletes; making this team and community the go-to resource for diabetes management and sports information.
• Positively impact as many people living with T1D as possible by demonstrating definitively that T1D is not a barrier to success.
• Target qualifying as the first all-Type One Diabetes cycling team in the UK nationals, proving the capabilities of T1D athletes on a national stage.

By pursuing these goals, we are dedicated to shifting the perception of T1D: helping to create a world in which T1D athletes are celebrated for their achievements and resilience, and in which anyone with T1D can achieve better health and greater quality of life.

Join us at Team Type One Style!

Our community is made by you, its members. The greater the community, the more experiences there are to share - and the more there is to learn from one another.

If you’re living with T1D and taking part in any recreational sports, then we’d love to hear from you!

We want to see a Team Type One Style kit at every event up and down the UK!

By wearing our slogan (“Shifting the Perception of Type One Diabetes”), you’ll be helping to do exactly that - not only for T1D athletes but also for their family members, coaches, caregivers … and among the general public too!

Meet the Founders of Team Type One Style

Andrew Kerr:

Type 1 Diabetic for 18 years. A cycling professional who's earned a 1st Category British Cycling licence. 

"My goal is for our team to positively impact as many other type ones (T1D) as possible through wider awareness raising. I am passionate about helping fellow T1Ds by sharing with you the knowledge that I have gained over my years of racing at an elite level. I firmly believe that you will save valuable time and energy by listening to others."

Henry Aspden:

Type One Diabetic for 25 years with a passion for cycling & helping others.

"Since I was 14, I’ve been cycling and racing with T1D. I found hospital clinics didn’t actively encourage or support me to take part in regular or intense exercise. Instead, it was research, science and community who provided what I needed. I wanted to bring these three areas together in a single, easy-to-access space … and Team Type One Style was born! I still race recreationally but I dedicate the majority of my time to supporting others with T1D to achieve your own goals."

Andrew Bigg:

Type One Diabetic for 19 years with an interest in cycling and triathlon. 

"I'm inspired by every single type one who doesn't let diabetes define you. My goal is to encourage as many of you as possible to share your stories and experiences. Together, we’ll learn, grow and shift perception of T1D."

Want to get involved?

Follow us on social media: @teamtypeonestyle.

Reach out to us: by direct message or email us: hello@teamtypeonestyle.com.

We’d love to hear from you and welcome you to our inspiring community of T1D athletes.