Westminster Wheels – Fixing bikes, building futures, making cycling accessible for communities in need
The Pitch
Problem statement
-RISING UNEMPLOYMENT IN CITY OF WESTMINSTER/NEED FOR ACCESS TO JOBS -300% increase in job seekers in the City; 1/3 18-24s lost jobs/furloughed last year. Highest unemployment/NEET rates are in North Paddington, area most impacted by Covid -SHORTAGE OF TRAINED BIKE MECHANICS-Bike sales/servicing increased 40% last year -BETTER ACCESS TO AFFORDABLE CLEAN TRANSPORT, AND NEED TO MAKE CYCLING MORE ATTRACTIVE TO BAME/UNDERREPRESENTED GROUPS-People on lower incomes (<£1000per month) spend higher % of income on transport (13%) than those on higher incomes (>£2000)-5%. Arup report shows 74% BAME do not cycle, 55% want to but bike cost a barrier -CLIMATE EMERGENCY/need to reduce CO2 emissions
Solution
Key goals are to: • Support a green economic recovery through paid work placements/training programme for local young unemployed residents in bike maintenance/repair (preparing them for vacancies in cycle industry); and the creation of a community enterprise in North Paddington. • Promote cycling to under-represented cycling groups and low-income families including the provision of affordable and free bikes • Contribute to Climate Emergency activity by diverting unwanted bikes from the waste stream and encouraging more people to use bikes. £5000 funding will enable us to donate 25 bikes to local families in need, whilst supporting the training/supervision costs of 6 young trainees.
Why are we best placed to deliver?
Groundwork has over 20 years’ experience in delivering bespoke projects that use the environment as a catalyst to build a sustainable future. We deliver c500 projects annually that help improve people’s prospects, create better places, and promote greener living/working. We deliver employment/youth projects that support unemployed people to access employment, with a particular focus on jobs in the green economy- supporting 6000 people over the last 5 years. We also deliver community Reuse projects that divert furniture, white goods etc. from landfill, repair/repurpose them (whilst providing training), and provide free/low cost to local communities in need-benefitting 35000 households to date
Focus Areas
Delivery plan
Budget breakdown
| Staffing Costs – 50% of our workshop supervisor for 3 months | £3,875 |
| Spare parts for 25 refurbished bikes | £1,125 |
Beneficiaries
31 people
Expected impact
The project will enable us to: • Improve access to affordable clean transport – through providing free refurbished bikes (plus helmets & locks) to 25 families in need, who would otherwise be unable to afford them. The bike donations are run through local community organisations, and focused on: children in low-income families; unemployed adults to support them access/work/training; and underrepresented groups in cycling – women, people with disabilities and people from BAME backgrounds • Improve the health and wellbeing of the 25 families receiving bikes through increasing their physical activity • Help improve future prospects of 6 young people – through supporting the training/supervision of the young people who will refurbish the bicycles, be trained as bike mechanics, and supported to find work in the growing cycle industry • Reduce carbon emissions – by preventing 25 discarded bicycles from ending up in landfill, and encouraging more people to cycle
Track record
REWORK-Wandsworth workshop where discarded white-goods/furniture are refurbished by our team of paid trainees. Over 5 years REWORK has processed 37,500 items and trained hundreds of unemployed people, helping them gain new skills/get into work REPURPOSE/THE LOOPS-community reuse hubs on estates in Hackney/Barnet. Since 2017 we’ve trained c1000 residents in furniture repair/upcycling skills, and provided low cost/free furniture to c6000 households in need. Colindale Communities Trust said the Loop: “has had a very positive impact on our residents” OUR BRIGHT FUTURE-5 year project offering accredited vocational training for 100YP aged 18-24 preparing them for work in green economy WESTMINSTER WHEELS (WW)-partnership project with City of Westminster and Cycle Confident. Since launching late 2020 WW is/has supported 17 YP with training (5 already offered work in cycle industry), and donated 45 bikes. Trainee Feedback: “I’d recommend working at WW because you learn a trade and life skills”