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I have not been a lifelong cyclist. I started cycling really so I could be with my family. My husband, who has a disability, was cycling so I started too. I trained to be a Bikeability tutor which is a national programme for trainers who teach children to cycle as part of my role in the local bicycle user group
At that point I was a full time teacher, but needed a career change after too many Government changes. By chance in 2015 I met Kath through the local mountain bike group. Her children had gone off to school so she was looking for what to do next. Kath and I decided to start a Bikeability Scheme, the first in Oxfordshire. At this point we had no money, and not much experience, but we just took a chance. A school in Wychwood were our first clients, and they were prepared to pay to deliver cycling lessons (Bikeability) to their pupils. We were able to access Government funding through Carterton Community College to expand our business and we took off!
Later Kath heard about a match funding pot we could apply to and we thought about what we could do with that. So we came up with this idea of setting up a project with a premise where we could refurbish donated bikes, fix bikes, continue the cycle training and run workshops for children off curriculum.
We registered as a CIC and were offered a space in a field at a local attraction, Cogges Farm. We raised money to open by running a series of bike cafes from Kath’s kitchen; lots of cyclists came, bought cake and made very generous donations! The amount we raised was fundmatched by the Phillimore Trust. We raised enough to buy a gazebo, a horsebox and some sets of tools. So we set up in the field and with the help of lots of volunteers. When the winter came we moved into the old cow-shed nearby until we could secure our own premises.
To cut a long story short we eventually got a lease on a premises on Corn Street, Witney. We had a good business plan so we knew how much we could afford to pay. We figured out how we could run the workshop to pay for the rent on the premises, and what we needed to do to develop the project.
Now we run the bike workshop: we fix and sell bikes; we continue to deliver Bikeability in West Oxfordshire and Bicester; we have a Rusty Riders programme for adults returning to cycling or starting out; we have a space for fix your own bike; we run an alternative curriculum programme for local secondary schools and business corporate days; we continue with our bike maintenance programmes; we have an after school drop in centre for children on Wednesdays. We have also established a bike library for families who have low income or a child with SEN needs. We work with the local refugee groups providing bikes, cycle training and maintenance courses. Windrush Bike Project now employs Kath, myself, 2 part time bike mechanics/tutors, 2 Saturday boys and 7 bikeability trainers.
The values we appeal to in our volunteers and allies are: no judgment- anyone can cycle and anyone can ask for help in the bike shop. We just want to keep people with bikes on the road and help others to start their cycling journeys. There might be lots of barriers; a disability, being nervous or lack of a bike. We try to make our workshop inviting and inclusive; women mechanics and volunteers help.
As of 2021 we run the Wheels for All scheme which is an adapted cycling programme at Wood Green School. It used to be run by the district council but we were able to take it over when we had found premises and funding to carry it on.
Our supporters Active Oxfordshire supported us to get the Wheels for All programme off the ground. We knew it would be hard to establish but we needed to cover rent, salary and pay for a container to house the stock of adapted bikes. Wood Green School has also been amazing in helping us to set up and carry on running.
Big Bike Revival and Cycling UK; Cogges Farm, Bikeability, OCC,Witney Town and District Council have all supported us as well as a number of local charities.
Bike accessibility
At the moment there are two Wheels for All projects in the county: one in Oxford (Cyclability) and one in Witney, but there is only one for children to access. Parents drive a long way to bring their children to us. The cycling officer in Bicester is trying to get one started there, but they are facing some challenges; I think there should be a Wheels for All in every Oxfordshire district- the benefits to children with additional needs are huge!
Making better use of empty premises
A lot of shops are empty- it seems odd sometimes we’re paying rent to deliver a service that the local authority could be providing. We need it to be easier for empty spaces to be used by not for profits or start up businesses and not be charged commercial rents.
Cycling infrastructure needs to be fit for purpose
We’re doing a lot to make cycling more accessible- but in the end the infrastructure needs to be suitable- a lot of people are still simply too afraid to cycle or to let their children cycle. We need better infrastructure and cycle lanes that are more than just a strip of white paint on the street.
This case study is part of the 'Community wealth building: big conversations' project. These case studies are in the voice of the people who gave them. They seek to honestly present their successes, as well as the challenges of trying to build a more just, sustainable economy and community. We encourage conversation - so if you want to get in touch and talk more to any of the groups, please do.
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