About this role
We are a small charity dedicated to getting refugees cycling by collecting unwanted bikes, fixing them up and donating them to refugees and asylum seekers. We are based in South East London and Birmingham but are working with local charities and planning to do a drop off of bike donations at the end of the year in Leicester. Here is our website: The Bike Project | We refurbish and donate bikes to refugees. Alongside our donations, we run a programme called Pedal Power where we take groups of Refugee Woman and teach them how to cycle. We then also have a second programme called Bike Buddies -which I am hoping to recruit more volunteers for in Leicester!
To give you a bit more background, the Bike Buddies programme pairs our refugee and asylum-seeking bike recipients with volunteer cyclists in their area to go on rides together. It aims to build confidence and knowledge of cycling, reduce isolation, improve well-being and encourage social integration and greater independence. It’s relatively low time commitment but garners huge rewards for those taking part. Here’s a video explaining more, with our incredible supporter Clare Balding when she volunteered for this program and was matched with Ahmed, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jcV1CcyhzpA .
Going on a few rides can seem like a small task, but it can have a huge impact. After taking their bike home, some of our bike recipients can lack the confidence to cycle independently. Some may not have been in the UK very long, may never have ridden on a road, and may not know the area they are living in well enough. We are looking for people who are passionate about cycling and can appreciate all the wonderful benefits it can bring! If you would like to share your joy of riding while making a real impact on refugees and asylum seekers, then please do get in touch!
You can find more information on the programme on our website. To apply to become a volunteer there is a short application to fill out https://www.tfaforms.com/4799623 . Feel free to contact me at lucinda@thebikeproject.co.uk if you have any questions!
Requirements
- Willing to take a DBS Check
Location
Location 1 Gallowtree Gate, Leicester LE1 5AD, UK