A VOLUNTEER-RUN recycle bike hub has raised £50,000 for two Hampshire hospices.
The hub is based in the Naomi House & Jacksplace warehouse in Winnall and was co-founded by Richard Hollingdale and Luke Brashier.
It is run by volunteers with the aim to recycle used bicycles, get more people into cycling, and raise vital funds for the hospices. In just over two years, the hub has refreshed, repaired and sold more than 600 bikes and raised £50,000 for Naomi House & Jacksplace.
Helena Maskell, volunteer services manager, said: “The bike hub was initially launched with just two volunteers and has grown to a team of 12 in two years. Most of the team are keen cycling enthusiasts but it is their commitment and dedication to recycling the many donated bikes we receive, and to raise money for Naomi House & Jacksplace that has made the scheme such a success. We are extremely lucky to have such a great team of volunteers who not only do a fantastic job, but enjoy their role and the companionship of the colleagues they work with.”
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Volunteers at the recycle bike hub refresh, repair and rebuild pre-loved bikes, making them fit to ride. Every bike sold is signed off by a qualified bike mechanic.
Richard Hollingdale, co-founder of recycle bike hub, said: “When we started the project, we had three objectives: stop bikes being lost to landfill, get more people cycling, and raise funds for a great charity – Naomi House & Jacksplace. Charity shops are the best place to shop if you want to be a sustainable consumer, utilising recycled goods, and supporting a greener community. It made sense to sell our recycled bikes directly through the charity, and the success has been greater than we could have imagined.
“In just over two years, the bike workshop has recycled and sold over 600 bikes and raised £50,000. In addition, the workshop has positively offset 60,000kg of carbon dioxide through recycling the unused bikes, and returning them to the road with new cyclists. A big thank you to everyone who has either donated or purchased one of our recycled bikes.”
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