Update on the project - who we are and what we do.
2010-01-17 15:54:00
Bicycles for us are a means of commuting in a greener, environmentally friendly and healthier way. But for people in countries in the developing world a bicycle is a far more valuable if not even vital form of transport.
Limited access to transportation, whether it is physical or financial, restricts access to the best possible life.
About our project
Bike Aid Africa was first set up in 2008 as a voluntary non-profit making organisation based in Belfast. Our organisation is still very young and at humble beginnings.
Our project aims to raise awareness of issues faced by people living in developing countries. It is hoped that our project will help to alleviate the inequalities faced by people in Africa. Through providing bicycles to countries in Africa we are hoping to improve access to services and improve transportation and thus strengthen communities from within.
We are collecting old bikes and parts throughout Northern Ireland. The bikes are repaired in our Belfast workshop and are checked for roadworthiness. The bikes will be shipped to countries in the developing world and benefit schools, orphanages, aid workers and aid projects in Africa. We have established links with other local charitable organisations, who work in Africa. Those partner organisations ship goods to countries in the developing world and Bike Aid Africa has been able to donate several hundred bikes to those organisations.
How do our bikes help
Improved access to transportation, especially for the poor, can improve employment prospects, reduce the money and time spent getting to jobs and schools or hauling fuel and water, reduce the costs of inputs for small-scale enterprise activities and increase access to markets for products.
In the bigger picture, restricted mobility and transport means a barrier to development. Transportation is an important element of development in African countries at the most basic level.
Bicycles are an affordable means of transport, no license or fuel is required thus they are also reliable.
For 99% of the population who cannot afford a car, the only alternative is to walk.
Bike Aid Africa has shipped bikes to Malawi, Zimbabwe, Swaziland and Zambia
Our Partner Organisations:
• Elim International, Newtownards
• The Spirit of Paul McGirr
Bikes to Malawi
2010-01-17 15:48:27
We have received some photographs of the bikes we sent to Malawi.
They went at the beginning of last year with Elim International, See the photographs in our gallery.
Workshop re opens
2009-11-25 21:27:13
We were very lucky to be awarded a grant by 'Awards for All'. This allowed us to rent suitable workshop premises at sub-economic rate in October.
We have now collected bikes that were held in storage around the country and brought them to this workshop on Carrowreagh Road just past Dundonald village. Wednesday night workshops have recommenced and we are slowly working our way through some 200 bikes.
Killough Volunteering Day
2009-11-25 21:07:44
Eleven volunteers joined us to work on bikes destined for Africa
We had a very successful Employer assisted Volunteering (ESV) day on 22 September 09 in a community hall in Killough, near Downpatrick, given to us for the day by a local community project. Eleven enthusiastic staff from the Big lottery Fund spent the day repairing bikes under our guidance. Even though most of these staff had no previous mechanical experience they managed to refurbish 26 bikes. Another coincidence here is that the Big Lottery Fund provides finance to 'Awards for All' so it was great that their staff could see how the money was being spent.
Project update 30 October 08
2008-10-30 17:25:00
After a bit of a lull during September, the project is back on track. Now that they have obtained some proper tools and equipment, the prisoners in Maghaberry are now working on the batch of bicycles supplied to them.
During the last month local volunteers from Phoenix Cycling Club repaired and serviced 70 childrens bicycles which were handed over to Elim International last week.
The majority of these were shipped out in a container yesterday to an orphanage in Swaziland whilst the remainder will go to an orphanage in Zimbabwe in 3 weeks time.
v
Thanks to Dungannon Rotary Club we have a further 150 cycles to work on so we have plenty to do between now and Christmas.
We are also extending our links to other organisations and plan to work collaboratively with as many different charities and voluntary groups as possible.
One of the biggest problems we experienced in the workshop has been a shortage of tools. We had good news in that area from two fronts this week. Chain Reaction Cycles
(in Ballyclare) will donate some cycling specific tools to us whilst Tools for Solidarity have informed us that a consignment of tools has just been dispatched to us. Some of the local cycling shops in Belfast have also given us spares such as cables and chains - notably Dave Kane Cycles and Kinning Cycles .
The only other problem we face is the fact that we may have to vacate our present workshop so we'll be loking for a big lockable shed somewhere near Belfast. We will also be looking for the loan of a big van or small lorry or someone who is prepared to transport bikes for us.
Many thanks to all the volunteers who've come along to help out - some good mechanics amongst you!
We'll provide another update before Christmas.
Flickr Photostream added!
2008-08-04 14:49:16
For all the pics of the lovely bikes!
Find it here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/wheelsinaction
We have a feed from this in the gallery also.
Project Update 3rd August
2008-08-04 13:32:00
Wheels in Action Update Time!
The project has now been running for about 4 months time with 4 of us involved. Joe Henry and Stephen Moffit have also helped us to repair old bikes in the workshop.
The committee are:
- Chairman - Andrew Rooke
- Treasurer - Maurice Ruddock
- Secretary - Brendan McCartan
- Committee member - Antje Otto
What’s the project about?
We are collecting old bikes and parts of bikes from council refuse/recycling sites and also from private donations. We have distributed posters about the project around bike shops and leisure centres throughout N Ireland. We bring these bikes to a workshop out the Newtownards Road and fix them up one night per week. The bikes will go to schools, orphanages, aid workers and aid projects in Africa and we will send the bikes out through existing charities.
We are communicating with several local charities who work in Africa and distributing the repaired bikes through these charities.
Who will use the bikes?
This depends on the charity involved but they will range from aid workers, local schoolchildren, orphanages, service providers such as rural health services etc
How long will the project run?
Our intention is that the project will run for a number of years and will grow bigger through time as we link up with other aid organisations. It has proved to be a relatively slow process collecting and repairing these bikes with a small team so we will be looking for more volunteers. We also plan to involve local prisons and train teams of prisoners to work on the bikes. This work in the prisons could be used a means of obtaining NVQ qualifications for the prisoners involved.
What have you achieved so far?
In 4 months we have repaired about 50 bikes, sometimes cannibalising bits of several bikes to make up a good one. We have another 30 or so childrens bikes that need very little work so these will be ready to go soon.
The first 35 bikes went off in a container through Elim International, Newtownards. According to Pastor Ray Cotter these bikes will be used mainly by aid workers in Malawi.
How can you help?
Donate old bikes or parts of bikes
Give a donation for the purchase of spares such as tubes, cables, chains, or
Come and help out in the workshop on Wed nights
Contact us:
- Maurice.ruddock1@btinternet.com
- aerooke@aol.co.uk
- antje@downdistrictvb.org
- Brendan.mccartan@dardni.gov.uk
