£3,000 grant is given to free bikes initiative
A charity providing free bikes to people who cannot afford to buy one has been given a £3,000 boost from a council.
Shropshire Cycle Hub has already helped more than 400 people since setting up in March 2020, and says the Shrewsbury Town Council grant will help towards its target of gifting 1,000 bikes this year.
It was one of five organisations awarded funds by the town council at a meeting on Monday evening, with the other four being granted between £500 and £1,000 each.
Members praised the cycle hub’s “exceptional” work, which they said warranted a higher grant amount.
In his pitch to councillors, hub founder Mark Fermor said the charity’s goal was to promote cycling and give free bikes to those in financial hardship.
Mr Fermor said: “We have had an absolute explosion of transport poverty recently, and obviously with Covid limiting the safety of public transport that’s even more so.
“Since we established in March last year we have been absolutely delighted to have a real growth in numbers of volunteers but we entirely rely on donations. We have been able to sell a few bikes to raise money to pay the bills and we have managed very well and continue to do so.
“Essentially we have an absolutely excellent opportunity to help people in Shrewsbury who just don’t have the money to go and get the bikes themselves, but also to recognise that transport is the biggest challenge we face in this town.”
Councillor Alan Mosley said: “I think this is an exceptional scheme.”
Four other organisations were also awarded funding, with £1,000 allocated to both the Darwin Community Centre and Old Shrewsbury Bowling Club, while the Oxon Bowling Club and the Heritage Railway Trust were each given £500.
