A PENNY Farthing enthusiast donated the 100th bike to Bike Worcester’s popular Bike Recycling scheme, run in partnership with Crowngate Shopping Centre.
Dave Preece, whose dad stopped using his own bike when he started to struggle with Alzheimer’s, handed it over to volunteers who meet in the former vacant unit in Friary Walk.
Volunteers service and refurbish bikes together and then they are made available to people who might otherwise struggle to afford one.
Recipients of bikes from the recycling scheme have so far included parents who want to accompany their children to school, children keen to join in with their school Bike Buses, people who need a bike to get to work and refugees.
Dave said: “My dad bought the bike new in 1998. Having just retired from work, he decided to do a charity cycle ride across Cuba and trained on the roads around Evesham, where he lived.
“He raised money for the National Deaf Children’s Society. In 2002 we cycled the Coast to Coast of England together.
“About four years ago he stopped using his bike as he was beginning to struggle with Alzheimer’s and vascular dementia.
“He is now in a residential nursing home so my mum decided to donate the bike to a worthy cause.’
Danny Brothwell, chair of Bike Worcester, said:
“Our Bike Recycling volunteers’ welcome new helpers, especially with experience. If you have a bike that your children or grandchildren have grown out of, or you have a bike that’s sitting unused in a garage or shed, please donate it.
“At this time of year, we are especially looking for donations of children’s bikes which can be refurbished for Christmas presents.
“The easiest way to donate a bike is to bring it to the security team at Crowngate Shopping Centre in Worcester during opening hours.”
Michael Lloyd, centre manager at Crowngate Shopping Centre, said: “It’s fantastic to see how well the Bike Recycling Scheme has taken off and reaching this milestone so early into the project.
“Being involved with this journey has been key for Crowngate and the project has had a great impact with supporting sustainable travel and recycling within the local community and further afield.”
Bike Worcester is a dedicated group set up five years ago to promote safe and accessible cycling in Worcester.
Campaigners want to make it easier and safer for people to cycle to work and school, and for leisure. Among the current schemes are school Bike Buses and a monthly Kidical Mass organised family bike ride,
Visit www.bikeworcester.org.uk or search @BikeWorcester on X – formerly known as Twitter – and Facebook for more.
