The Executive gave a Sustainable Action Grant of £29,700 over the three years 2001-04 to the Bike Station. Situated in the vaulted area beneath Waverley Station since October 2002, the Bike Station is a centre where donated bikes can be renovated and put back into use. It aims to encourage cycling as a means of improving the health and mobility of individuals and reducing social exclusion. It also offers informal training in bike maintenance skills and an opportunity for volunteering.
It has been in existence since April 2001 and by 2004 had over 1,300 bicycles of all types, sizes and vintages and conditions donated, along with a wide range of spare parts and accessories, including a tricycle conversion kit and a tandem which could be used by a blind cyclist. More than 600 bikes have been refurbished and recycled.
Funding
There was initial money for the project from SPOKES, who paid the first three months' rent. Income from sales of donated bikes made a substantial contribution to running costs, and it is an important principle that everyone either pays something or contributes work in kind when they receive a bike, although some agencies are able to support their clients through grants or trust money.
Funding from the City of Edinburgh Agenda 21 fund was received to pay for tools.
The Sustainable Action Grant allowed employment of a Community Outreach Worker for three years.
Bike Station Activity
The group offers cycle maintenance training to the general public and teenagers who have been excluded from, or dropped out of, mainstream education. Volunteers restore old or damaged bicycles for people who need an affordable roadworthy bike, and gain valuable skills and experience, as well as a formal Cytech qualification in cycle maintenance.
Some donated bikes require little more than puncture repairs and a drop of oil; others need extensive work and possibly the cannibalising of parts from other machines. Expert guidance is available at all volunteer sessions, and the workshop has a checking and signing off procedure to ensure that all renovated bikes are safe.
Project
Grace Nicol was appointed as the Outreach Development Worker, taking up the part-time job in mid February 2002. She previously worked for Sustrans, the cycle path and safe routes development charity, developing cycle routes throughout Scotland as well as having a wide range of experience in community projects. Her priority was to build on existing links and develop new partnerships with agencies working with people who would benefit from the services of the workshop.
There was work with housing/homelessness organisations such as the Access Point and Edinburgh Streetwork Project who referred clients to obtain bikes, and with youth groups for training sessions.
A large number of organisations has worked with the Bike Station to provide volunteers or to benefit from the Bike Station's resources. By 2004 over 1,000 people had signed the visitors' book.
The Outreach project aimed at social inclusion for 15-24 year olds and worked with organisations, such as Artlink - Adults with Special Needs and Requip, who provided volunteers or benefited from the Bike Station's resources.
The Bike Station's achievements achieved publicity in local organisations' newsletters and through the Network Rail station newsletter.
Ministerial Visit
On 23 November 2001 , as pictured above, the Minister for Environment and Rural Development , Ross Finnie, visited The Bike Station to find out how the Sustainable Action Grant was being used. He tried out one of the recycled bikes for a short trip down to the workshop, and then presented three refurbished children's bikes to pupils from Stenhouse Primary School to use them in their cycle training scheme.
The website www.thebikestation.org.uk contains more information about the project and information about bike sales. You can even reserve 'on-line'. The group has sold many bikes this way.
Recycle to Cycle
The Executive later offered the Bike Station a Sustainable Action Grant of £35,975 for 2004-07 to expand work across the Lothians.