Recycling cycles

Unwanted and unloved racers, kids bikes and shoppers are stacking up at Pedal Power in Lancaster.

The scheme, which has been set up by local charity Furniture Matters using SRB cash, is already proving to be a great success.

Old unwanted bikes are being fixed and upgraded by a team of volunteers who get specialist training and the refurbished cycles are then sold cheaply to disadvantaged local people.

It's the perfect recycling scheme where everyone's a winner.

"We've already had more than 100 bikes donated to us just by word of mouth," explained training manager, Nick Mann.

"The idea came about while we were out collecting unwanted furniture.

A lot of people had old or rusty bikes they didn't want and they asked if we could take them too.

We decided to take them and set up a training scheme which leads to a City and Guilds in cycle maintenance and repair.

The volunteers work on the unwanted bikes making them safe and sound and then they're sold off at low cost.

It's working really well and fits in great with the recycling ethos.

There's also the possibility of lots of exciting off shoots.

We want to set up a kids bike exchange where children swap the bike they've outgrown for a bigger one and we're also looking into running courses on bike tricks and safe cycling."

Pedal Power currently has 10 volunteers working two mornings a week to repair the old bikes using bits of other bikes and also from new parts.

Supervising the training is Jamie Hall, who has several years experience working in a bike shop.

He said: "Nearly everyone's got an old bike in a shed or garage that they don't want or hardly use.

We take these bikes, train people how to fix them up and then sell the bikes cheap to people who can make good use of them.

Some of the bikes are in a right state but even these are useful for bits and pieces.

They've usually got buckled wheels or rusty chains but we can usually fix them up and the lads on the course get stuck in and really enjoy it."

Ambitious plans for the future also include setting up a cycling courier service between Lancaster and Morecambe making use of the new cycle path and also starting a cycle racing team.

Pedal Power is happy to welcome new volunteers and is always on the look out for unwanted cycles.

For more details call Nick on 426622.