Bicycle scheme hits next gear
Published
Monday 17 June, 2024
Updated
Monday 17 June, 2024
Over 50 refurbished bicycles were sold for just £10 each at Big Green Week events.
The Swale Cycle-re-Cycle scheme teamed up with Sheppey Matters to provide people with an affordable, environmentally friendly transportation method.
The 30 refurbished bicycles available at the Healthy Living Centre in Sheerness on 14 June sold out in under an hour.
HMP Swaleside also helped sell a further 25 bikes at the Faversham Community Bike Day on 15 June.
The Swale Cycle-re-Cycle scheme is a partnership between Swale Borough Council, HMP Swaleside and the Canterbury Bike Project.
The bikes, which were refurbished by HMP Swaleside inmates, have been saved from rotting away in gardens, sheds and garages or from ending up in the tip.
They work towards City & Guilds Cycle Mechanics qualifications giving them the opportunity to upskill themselves and take a positive step towards rehabilitation.
The scheme’s aim is to provide Swale residents with affordable, environmentally friendly transportation, that helps them keep active and healthy.
The council funded the initial supply of bike parts and workshop consumables, while Canterbury Bike Project trained an instructor to deliver the City & Guilds qualification.
The bikes are sold for just £10 through local community groups, like Sheppey Matters, which covers the cost of the repairs and makes the scheme self-funding and sustainable.
If you have a roadworthy bike – two wheels and two brakes - you would like to donate, drop it off at the donation point at the Sheerness Household Waste Recycling Centre, along with new or good condition used parts.
