Recycle your old bike so a child can cycle to school

Two Rochdale councillors are appealing for your help to get more local children cycling to school.

Spotland and Falinge councillors Rachel Massey and Faisal Rana want people to donate their unused bikes so they can be refurbished and donated to families who otherwise could not afford them.

The Labour councillors are big supporters of Positive Cycles, a local charity covering Rochdale and Oldham which is running the scheme.

Councillor Massey said: "Positive Cycles is restoring and recycling unwanted bikes for local school children to help them get to school safely. There is a big demand for bikes, and they need your help. 

"It's such a wonderful idea. Getting children to and from school safely is very important for every parent. If we're going to tackle child obesity, what better way than encouraging youngsters to cycle to school?”

 

 

Councillor Rana added: "Positive Cycles is a great local charity and has also worked wonders to help our NHS staff. Now, we want to help them do the same to help children to get to school safely.

"Bikes are really expensive to buy and many parents in Rochdale simply can't afford them for their kids. It's not fair that disadvantaged youngsters are not able to join in with other children in cycling to school. I'm sure there are hundreds of unused and unwanted bikes stuck in sheds that Positive Cycles can make good use of."

Over the summer, Councillors Rana and Massey teamed up with the charity to collect unwanted bikes for essential workers following the outbreak of the Coronavirus crisis.

• www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/134167/community-gears-up-to-help-nhs-staff-get-to-work-during-coronavirus-outbreak

Hundreds of bicycles were donated to local nurses and key health workers so they could get to work during the height of the crisis. Essential workers were advised to avoid using public transport in case they caught the virus.

Bikes must be in fairly good condition, be able to be restored, for reuse by an older child or young person to get to school.

If you can help by donating an old bike please email one of the councillors, who will arrange collection:

• faisal.rana@rochdale.gov.uk
• rachel.massey@rochdale.gov.uk