The Bike Project, a UK-based charity, has been providing refurbished bicycles to refugees and people seeking asylum for a decade. Founder Jem Stein started the project in his garden shed and it has grown to include workshops in London and Birmingham. The charity has so far distributed more than 11,000 bicycles in nearly 40 cities and regions across the country. Recipients also receive safety kits, including helmets and locks, while women are able to attend cycling lessons with women instructors. A befriending programme, Bike Buddies, puts volunteers in contact with refugee cyclists.
Demand for bicycles among refugees and asylum seekers is high due to the low income they receive – just £47.39 a week in government support, which falls to £9.58 a week if they live in shared accommodation and receive meals. Even where asylum has been granted, 76% of referrals to The Bike Project come from unemployed people. Transport poverty is a growing concern, with transport costs including the average weekly bus pass adding up to £20 a week. Bicycles also offer emotional benefits and can help people to feel more connected to their community.
The public can support the project by donating secondhand bicycles, accessories or lessons, or by supporting the project’s winter appeal. Funds raised from the sale of high-end or high-value bicycles go towards running the charity. The Bike Project plans to expand its roadshow programme in 2024 to provide services in towns, cities and remote areas where there is little support.
Early beneficiary Comfort Adeyemi describes receiving a bicycle as “a resurrection, a second chance at life”. She says that her bike was not just a means of transport but also a means of finding herself and starting again. Another recipient, Yousef, who arrived in the UK from Syria with three children, describes his family’s bicycles as “like a healthy friend”, which helps them to manage psychological pressure
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