New Partnership boosts Bike Bike project

PRESS RELEASE …. PRESS RELEASE…. PRESS RELEASE…. PRESS RELEASE….

Ride On – Cycling for All and Exeter Community Initiatives (ECI) have teamed up to run the ECI’s Bike Bank project from Ride On’s base at Exeter Quay.

The aim of Bike Bank is to create a supportive workshop where vulnerable adults can learn practical skills in refurbishing bikes, both for their own benefit and for that of others. Ride On – a charity that is passionate about getting more people riding affordable bikes more often – will provide the ‘hands- on’ training in a supportive environment.

“Ride On is incredibly excited to be working with ECI to help bring Bike Bank to our workshop at Exeter Quay,” says Will Page, Head of Administration & Partnerships.

“Cycling isn’t just a form of transport- it’s great for people’s physical and mental health, as well as tackling the climate emergency by reducing carbon emissions.

“Working on this project in partnership with ECI, we’ll be able to boost people’s confidence by teaching them how to fix bikes as part of our Ride On community. This will aid their independence, save them money, and help them achieve their personal goals.

“We look forward to developing Bike Bank with ECI and are determined that it goes from strength to strength.”

Exeter Community Initiatives helps people facing poverty, inequality and homelessness get their lives back on track. They recognised that an increasing number of people wanted to be involved in meaningful occupations but there were few opportunities. Despite having extremely high needs themselves, people still want the chance to do something for others.

“Bike Bank is a highly valued project and it was a hard decision to close it last September, whilst we looked for further funding. So, we are extremely excited that we are once again in the position to re-start Bike Bank, and in partnership with a fantastic charity in Ride On,” says Carole Pilley, ECI Development Manager.

“We work with a variety of people who need the opportunity to do something constructive with their time. Angus, who has mental health issues, found that our course helped increase his confidence and that the emphasis on practical skills helped improve his focus and concentration.

“At the heart of the project it is about sharing practical skills and it doesn’t matter what level of education you have or what has gone on in your life – it is about working on a bike, so it is a great leveller.  Ride On are totally passionate about bikes and cycling and have great facilities. We are sure our Trainee Mechanics will gain a huge amount from working with them.”

To find out more about the ECI/Ride On Trainee Workshop Programme which offers practical skills in bike repair contact Jane Hawking on 07547 958156 or go to the  ECI website https://www.eci.org.uk/  or the Ride On website www.rideoncycling.org 

Ride On source pre-loved bikes, recycle them to donate and sell back to the local community using volunteers and qualified mechanics. Ride On also runs its own basic bike maintenance courses, Ready to Ride sessions for key workers, women only sessions and organises group rides. To find out more about Ride On take a look at the website or email [email protected]  

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Notes for editors 

Ride On – Cycling for All is a local charity based at Exeter Quay that recycles unwanted bicycles and helps make cycling safe, enjoyable, and accessible to everyone. Ride On has a vision for a cleaner healthier and more active Exeter. The aim of Ride On is to get more people on affordable bikes, whilst offering education and training to keep them on the move, improve mental and physical health and wellbeing through cycling and contribute to a reduction in CO2 emissions. 

61 Haven Road Exeter EX2 8DP 

Contact 07544 14749 

[email protected] 

Ride On – Cycling for All is registered with the Charity Commission: No.1174055

Bikes wanted in Exeter

Ride On – Cycling For All is busier than ever! And likely to get busier now there are plans to boost the government cycling strategy.  The charity is looking for bike donations in the Exeter area.

Ride On is a bike recycling charity based at Exeter Quay. We refurbish second-hand bikes and get them back on the road – In 2019 we put 681 bikes back into use in Devon.

The Coronavirus pandemic and social distancing rules have created a growing demand for bicycles. Public transport cannot run at full capacity and if everyone took to driving private cars Exeter would grind to a halt. Air pollution levels would rise adding to the health risks associated with Coronavirus.

Encouraging cycling and walking is clearly the answer to rethinking global transport systems, increasing clean air, giving people access to more exercise, improving mental health and offering the freedom of independent travel. Cycling is an efficient and affordable way to travel and easily enables social distancing. And work, such as the 4km E9 ‘quiet cycle route’ from Newcourt/Pynes Hill to the city centre, will make roads safer for cyclists and pedestrians.

Donate your old bikes

You can contribute to this initiative by donating your old bikes to Ride On.  Whether you are decluttering your garage or shed, have children who have outgrown their bikes, or you’ve bought an electric bike and don’t want the hassle of taking your old bike to the tip or advertising it for sale on Gumtree or Facebook.

If you can deliver your bikes to the Ride On workshop that’s great. (Address below) If not we have bike drop-off points at the following locations:

  • Briar Crescent, Wonford
  • Lewis Crescent, Digby (St Loyes)
  • Lympstone
  • Sidmouth

Email [email protected]  for details.

“There’s a bike boom right now and we are struggling to keep up with demand,” says Sam White, Ride On Workshop Manager. “We will accept donations whatever state they are in. Even if we can’t save a bike, we can always strip the parts that can be put onto other bikes and re-used.”

When you buy a bike from Ride On you know that it has been professionally built, maintained and serviced. If you buy a bike on line from sites such as Facebook Marketplace there’s no guarantee that it is even safe to ride!

Some of Ride On’s key customers are ‘key workers’ – those vital to public health and safety such as care worker Sarah Pennington who is an agency care home worker.

‌“Within‌ ‌Exeter‌ ‌I‌ ‌cover‌ ‌up‌ ‌to‌ ‌a‌ ‌five-mile‌ ‌radius‌ ‌from‌ ‌my‌ ‌home,‌ ‌which‌ ‌takes‌ ‌me‌ ‌about‌ ‌30‌ ‌minutes,‌ ‌e.g.‌ ‌from‌ ‌Heavitree‌ ‌to‌ ‌Langford‌ ‌(on‌ ‌the‌ ‌Crediton‌ ‌road‌ ‌beyond‌ ‌Cowley),” says Sara. ‌ “‌I‌ ‌use‌ ‌bus‌ ‌and‌ ‌train‌ ‌to‌ ‌reach‌ ‌Crediton, ‌ ‌Exmouth, ‌ ‌Honiton, and ‌Sidmouth. ‌ ‌I‌ ‌love‌ ‌that‌ ‌I‌ ‌can‌ ‌take‌ ‌my‌ ‌bike‌ ‌onto‌ ‌the‌ ‌Exmouth‌ ‌train‌ ‌without‌ ‌booking‌ ‌(boarding‌ ‌at‌ ‌Polsloe‌ ‌Bridge)‌ ‌and‌ ‌then‌ ‌cycle‌ ‌across‌ ‌Exmouth‌ ‌at‌ ‌the‌ ‌other‌ ‌end‌ ‌to‌ ‌work‌ ‌in‌ ‌care‌ ‌homes‌ ‌up‌ ‌on‌ ‌the‌ ‌cliffs.‌ ‌

“Cycling‌ ‌keeps‌ ‌me‌ ‌fit,‌ ‌gets‌ ‌me‌ ‌across‌ ‌the‌ ‌city‌ ‌faster‌ ‌than‌ ‌a‌ ‌car,‌ ‌and‌ ‌gives‌ ‌me‌ ‌a‌ ‌zing‌ ‌of‌ ‌freedom‌ ‌every‌ ‌single‌ ‌time‌ ‌I‌ ‌get‌ ‌on‌ ‌my‌ ‌bike.‌  ‌It‌ ‌helps‌ ‌me‌ ‌wake‌ ‌up‌ ‌on‌ ‌the‌ ‌way‌ ‌to‌ ‌work,‌ ‌and‌ ‌helps‌ ‌to‌ ‌clear‌ ‌my‌ ‌head‌ ‌and‌ ‌switch‌ ‌off‌ ‌from‌ ‌work‌ ‌as‌ ‌I‌ ‌head‌ ‌home.‌”

You can read more about Sarah’s love of cycling on the Ride On website. www.rideoncycling.org  

Ends

Notes for editors 

Ride On – Cycling for All is a local charity based at Exeter Quay that recycles unwanted bicycles and helps make cycling safe, enjoyable and accessible to everyone. Ride On has a vision for a cleaner healthier and more active Exeter. The aim of Ride On is to get more people on affordable bikes, whilst offering education and training to keep them on the move, improve mental and physical health and wellbeing through cycling and contribute to a reduction in CO2 emissions. 

61 Haven Road Exeter EX2 8DP 

Contact 07544 314749

[email protected] 

Ride On – Cycling for All is registered with the Charity Commission: No.1174055