Scheme of the month - Bikes 4 All Leicester
Bikes 4 All is an award winning community bike enterprise and part of Groundwork Leicester and Leicestershire.
The scheme provides training and employment opportunities in cycling related activities and services to those individuals who are most deprived within our communities.
Work is focused around supporting individuals to improve their standard of living through engaging in employment or training, leading more active and healthier lifestyles, and through making a valuable contribution to the lives of others.
1. Sales and repairs - the largest bike recycler in the UK, providing low cost refurbished bikes to the local community, Bikes 4 All also sells new bikes and accessories (like a normal bike shop). They provide repairs, and will fit refurbished parts such as wheels, this also keeps the cost of repairs low.
2. Training - contracted to Connexions to provide bike maintenance training to 16-19 year olds; also runs an entries to employment program (e2e) providing 16-19 year olds who are Not in Education Employment or Training(NEET) with a City & Guilds 3993 Cycle Maintenance and Repair qualification (this includes wheel building). They provide life skills (Literacy and Numeracy) help with job searches and CV writing.
Bikes 4 All also provides training to schools and has a large number of schools who visit or are visited by their mobile workshop. A Saturday morning training session provides either bespoke training or the Park Tools School (www.parktool.com/repair).
They also offer one to one cycle training on Saturday mornings.
3. Cycling Solutions operates a mobile workshop that attends events, combined with their mobile bike park. They have recently started to operate a fruit and vegetable delivery service, using cycle couriers; this service delivers fruit and veg purchased on Leicester Market to the customer’s home. They also run an ice cream bike called Icicle Tricycle.
For more information see www.bikes4all.org.uk or contact Tim Hudson
