Bristol bike project to help make bikes available for all
Bristol Bike Project (BBP) was founded by friends James Lucas and Colin Fan in 2008 whilst they were working as volunteers for Bristol Refugee Rights. The aim is to provide affordable, sustainable and convenient transport for Bristol’s refugee community.
Few asylum seekers arriving in the UK have access to a car and public transport can be expensive. With very little government support, this means many struggle to get around the city and make it to crucial appointments.
“All asylum seekers have to register once a week in order to stay here safely and missing one of these can seriously jeopardise your situation.” said Jo Hellier, project co-ordinator. “Having access to a bike makes getting to these meetings much easier and massively improves their quality of life.”
BBP offers free tuition in bike mechanics through its ‘Earn-a-Bike’ scheme. “The project welcomes everyone and participants take part in a 3 hour session with our volunteers, who teach the basics of bike maintenance on a donated bike that they will then take home at the end.”
BBP offers a range of programmes including a free after school mechanics workshops for children and Womxns Night, a completely inclusive weekly session in which anyone identifying as female can learn bike mechanics under the guidance of an experienced volunteer bike mechanic.
By recycling unwanted bikes and putting them in the hands of people that will use them and know how to maintain them they are not only improving air quality, easing pressure on the transport system and preventing waste, but also teaching people skills, building confidence, providing a means of exercise and providing a safe and welcoming space in the heart of the city to those who face the most barriers.
BPP are crowdfunding - to support them visit https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/bristol-bike-project
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