Recycle your cycle and change a life

Recycle bikes donated through Halfords helped children in Gambia get to school

Charity Re~Cycle has linked up with Halfords in Rochdale in an initiative to use unwanted bikes to provide life-changing, affordable transport to communities in Africa.

Britain’s biggest bike retailer is collecting second-hand cycles at its stores from until Monday 24 March and offering a 10% discount for donors wanting to purchase a new cycle.

Suitable bikes will be overhauled and shipped to Africa where they will help health workers reach communities in need, children get to school, parents get to jobs and farmers transport goods to market. Re~Cycle also teaches local people how to repair and maintain the cycles, providing sustainable employment and transport.

Halfords’ CEO Matt Davies said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for customers to trade-in their old bikes, get 10% off if they want a new one and help a great cause too. Bikes can transform the lives of people in Africa and our work with Re~Cycle is an exciting example of where recycling can make a real difference”.

Merlin Matthews, the founder of Re~Cycle, added: “We’re really excited about the trade-in event, which is part of our long-term partnership with Halfords and helps in our ambition – to get access to all those unwanted bikes and raise awareness of how people here can very easily assist those in need in Africa.

Bikes most in demand by Re~Cycle are sturdy mountain bikes for teenagers and adults. However all bikes that are in a reasonable condition, including kids’ bikes, will be accepted by Halfords provided they are complete with no cracks in the frame and less than 25% rust.

More information on the trade-in event is available at www.halfords.com/re-cycle.