February 2022

A bike recycle scheme is helping our work to ‘recycle’ lives.

Cycles Recycled CIC have donated bikes to participants of our rehabilitation programmes, giving them more independence and helping to broaden their prospects for finding full-time work.

The CIC, based in Clitheroe, repairs and refurbishes unwanted bikes to sell on, or donate to people in need. We first worked with them in 2021 to deliver a bike maintenance workshop. The six men and women who took part learned basic bike maintenance skills before being able to keep the cycles they’d refurbished.

Dan (pictured) and Billy recently received their new bikes, allowing them to get around as they’ve completed work placements to build their skills and experience.

Rehabilitation Programmes Manager Rob Thackray said: “Donations like this make up the important building blocks for people to live independently and happily.
“Billy’s using his to get to work on the outskirts of Preston while Dan’s means he doesn’t need to rely on public transport, which he was anxious about due to Covid.
“We’re really grateful to the team at Cycles Recycled, who didn’t hesitate to support us when asked.”

Our rehabilitation programmes help people to develop transferable skills and good work experience ready to secure employment. We work with job seekers and men and women who’ve been in prison or on probation, supporting them to write CVs, secure ID and bank accounts to make sure they’re work-ready. Around 80% of the people we support go on to secure jobs while fewer than 5% reoffend or return to prison.