Summer is approaching (woohoo) - and it's time to start thinking about how you could possibly fill all the time entertaining the children. Or maybe you're looking forward to getting outside more and getting a little exercise in the Summer months. We Cycle - our exciting new Bike hub concept is ready and waiting to service your bicycle needs.
What is We-Cycle?
We Cycle is our community run bike hub that has been a year in the making. RCV UK are looking to make bikes accessible for all in our community. The average cost of a Bike according to bikebiz.com is £233. That means for a family of four a bike budget would need to be close to £1,000. In this current economic climate that is simply an unattainable dream for so many. Being able to own a bike opens a lot of opportunities to explore the local area and have fun days out with the family. It's essential to promote mental and physical well-being.
We-Cycle is a bike hub that not only offers repairs and bike MOTs at cost price but also can provide bikes for all ages and incredibly competitive prices. We believe every family should have access to affordable transportation and give their children some independence and a chance to have fun with their friends.
Why have we started We-Cycle?
It's estimated that 15 million bikes are discarded every year. At RCVUK we want people in the community to have access to bikes because it doesn't just mean trips out for families but so much more than that. It can connect people to their family who live a little too far away to walk to. It can give someone an opportunity to get to work, or take a job that is outside commutable hours. A bike hub also means safer bikes, now there is an affordable means to get that dusty bike a service and make it road worthy again.
Meet Mitch & Ryan our engineers!
They've been in love with bikes since they were very small. Their back garden could be described as a wasteland of broken bikes but wherever possible, no parts were ever wasted. Often they could be found taking apart bikes they had grown out of to fix or upgrade their current bikes, and they didn't stop at their own bikes but also those that belonged to their friends.
Now all grown up the boys are continuing to explore their love of bikes and use this opportunity to help those in their community too. "We know how much being able to play on our bikes when we were small meant to us. It gave us a sense of freedom to go out and ride our bikes all day during the holidays. Now being head mechanic at We Cycle I get the opportunity to help others achieve the same level of fun and freedom I had."
At We-Cycle can fix a puncture for just £5, which could cost up to £15 in a high street shop or you can get a fully serviced junior bike for £20. We're bringing affordable bikes and maintenance to Risca and continuing with our green initiative to reduce Landfill.
Committed to Bikes for All
At RCVUK we've been shocked and appalled by the recent events happening in Ukraine. Ukrainian families have now started arriving in Wales. 2,021 Ukrainians fleeing the conflict have been sponsored by Welsh families and the Welsh Government, with 3,300 visas being granted this is set to rise over the coming months. RCVUK was made aware of one family in our community that has been sponsored locally by one of our amazing volunteers, and through We-Cycle, we were thrilled to help.
Our We-Cycle engineers were able to fix two bikes for the family. Both mum and son now how bikes to allow them to get out and explore their new community. We invited them to the hub where they picked out the bikes they wanted and they were fixed and given a full MOT to ensure they were 100% safe.
As an extra touch, RCVUK donated helmets from the funds collected from our Dragon Bags donations (we have a bin located outside our hub at Channel View Community Centre). Now the whole family has the freedom to explore locally and get some much needed fresh air and exercise.
Want to get involved?
We're currently looking for more bike engineers to help service and give some attention to bikes that have been loved past their best. We also take bike donations. If you're clearing out your shed/garage/garden over the next few months please consider donating your bike to us. To find out how to make a donation or volunteer contact us at info@rcvuk.org . If you need a new bike for a family member or yourself, please message us on te RCVUK Facebook page or pop us an email - we would love to help you.