What happens when your well-used bike reaches the end of its life, or you trade it in for a newer shinier model? One option is that Essex-based charity Re-cycle will take them in and restore them to good condition before distributing them to people with no access to transport in Africa.
They are working with See The Difference to raise the funds to ship bikes next month, and need your help.
Re~Cycle have gathered together 420 bikes that are no longer wanted in the UK. Some have been thrown away; some have been languishing in sheds and garages. Their mechanics have lovingly restored them, and they’re now ready for new homes.
In March they want to ship them to Namibia, where they’ll be more than a weekend plaything or keep fit tool. They’ll help kids travel to schools, parents find work in other villages and health workers deliver medicine and support to those with HIV/AIDS.
You can help keep the wheels turning on this great project by clicking here and either donating some cash or sending in a photo of you & your bike. £1 is donated for each photo added.
See The Difference are also working with over 100 other charities to help deliver specific projects locally and internationally, so why not have a look around their site to see what inspires you?
The idea to recycle (everything) is very near to my heart. It’s the possibility to make our ambience more clean, more alive, more vivible for other species (not only for rats and C°). And than the possibility to share -even just used things that will help others is really great! Wish good luck to this initiative!
Thanks for this link, Alastair, it shows how things we in the UK may think of as ‘rubbish’ are actually still very useful if we only think laterally about them!
Please support this scheme
I have been eagerly awaiting this post – and am pleasantly surprised to see that it involves Africa.
I live work at a Residential Specialist College (for students with learning disabilities) that is part of the Camphill Movement (working for others rather than for money, in a nutshell), and we have close links to an organisation called Tools for Self Reliance, who supply kist of refurbished tools to craftspeople and worker in 6 countries in Africa.
There are a range of people who volunteer time to TfSR; collecting and refurbishing tools into kist such as: Auto Mechanics Kit, Carpenters Kit, Welders Kit etc. They also regularly collect equipment to start schools up, and supply a variety of other things to other countries: clothes to Romanian orphanages, old sewing machines also to Africa, and more…
As a keen cyclist, I organise rides for my students, and run regular bike maintenance sessions.
I am currently reviewing the bikes on campus (for 50-odd residential staff and students) and will no doubt find some that do not meet the needs for us.
We have previously donated them to York Bike Rescue – friends of ours, but I would be keen to support this venture is still possible, and actively use it as a great teaching opportunity for my students – please let me know if there will be more opportunities to donate.
My photo is winging it’s way to the website…
Raph.