The Bike Bank - Devon

se who can’t afford to buy a bicycle but would benefit physically or financially (to go to work) by having one.

2. The Bike Bank will also offer a sheltered workshop. Using donated bikes and a team of volunteers, vulnerable adults with physical or mental health problems will be able to learn useful skills in a supportive environment.

3. It’s also good for the environment, reducing landfill and good for the city encouraging people to use two wheels instead of four. BACKGROUND:

Over the last year Exeter Community Initiatives (ECI) piloted a bike recycling project, which we called Exeter Community Bikes (ECB), to provide the opportunity for vulnerable people to gain skills in repairing unwanted bikes. Our main aim was to promote employability through ‘hands-on’ learning and supporting people to build their skills in a work environment. For the pilot project a temporary workshop was set up in an empty shop unit in Harlequins in the centre of Exeter. Sessions were led by volunteer mechanics (pictured) with support from other volunteers who were keen cyclists but less skilled/experienced as bike mechanics. The volunteer mechanics provided the training and support for the participants to repair a bike. The bikes were donated by members of the public who no longer wanted them. It received a lot of support from many people in the bicycling community and MP Ben Bradshaw. It was also selected by John Lewis’ Community Matters to benefit from their charitable giving scheme. It means that it will be one of three charities to receive a share of £3,000 donated by the store. Each charity receives a proportion of the money according to how many tokens are supplied by shoppers. James, 22, from Exwick in Exeter, said the project had been a great experience for him. “I finished the bike I was working on in three days, but I still came the rest of the week because I enjoyed it so much. It’s been a reason to get up in the morning.”

Graham, 20, from Burnthouse Lane, agreed: “I know a lot about bikes already so this has been really great. I would love to have a job like this.” (Exeter Daily, July 2013)