Over 100 Bikes Collected At Donation Day

Swale Borough Council’s Cycle-re-Cycle project moved up a gear with over 100 bicycles ready to be refurbished and redistributed into the community.

The bikes were collected at the council’s donation day last Saturday (5th October) in the Swale House car park and are now heading to HMP Swaleside where inmates will refurbish them.  

The prisoners will be able to upskill themselves and make a positive step towards rehabilitation whilst working towards a City & Guilds in Bike Mechanics qualification, provided by the Canterbury Bike Project.  

Once the bikes are refurbished, they will be sold on for just £10 through community groups providing cheap and environmentally friendly transportation to locals while remaining self-funding.  

The council’s scheme has already seen 100 bikes refurbished and then sold with the help of local charity Sheppey Matters and Faversham Town Council’s Community Bike Day.

Also at the Donation Day were local domestic abuse charity SATEDA, who collected 26 bags (just under 100kg) of children’s clothing and the Rotary Club of Sittingbourne Invicta, who helped collect the bikes and food for people in need. 

Cllr Rich Lehmann, Chair of the Environment and Climate Change Committee, told SFM News: “Thank you to everyone who came down on Saturday and gave donations. We are blown away by the number of bikes residents have donated to our Cycle-re-Cycle project. Thanks to your support we will be able to continue helping inmates in the project get qualifications and provide cheap and environmentally friendly transportation to our residents. The more people we can get cycling the better - it keeps you active, opens up opportunities for socialising and can save people money when getting around. I would also like to give a big thank you to our partners for this donation day, Rotary Club of Sittingbourne Invicta and Sateda, who collected food and clothing for people in need in our community. Please keep an eye out for other opportunities to get involved, either by donating your unwanted bikes at donation days like this or by purchasing one through local community groups.”

Ben Silcock, HMP Swaleside’s Industries Manager, told SFM News: “We are proud to be working in partnership with the local council, working together has provided valuable skills for our prisoners and essential transport for the local community. We have all worked hard to build a strong relationship that works towards a greener community.”

If you couldn’t make the donation day and have an unwanted bike there is a donation point, for roadworthy bikes – two wheels and two brakes – along with new or good condition used parts, at Sheerness Household Waste Recycling Centre on Station Road.