Bike appeal

We urgently need more bikes for refugees and asylum seekers

With the recent arrival of 82,100 Ukrainian refugees to the UK, The Bike Project is experiencing more demand than ever. This is an urgent call for unwanted bikes, and your help collecting them from your local communities.

The evolving situation in Ukraine is heart-breaking for all of us at The Bike Project. We know that millions of people are being displaced, and many will seek refuge and asylum in the UK. As we have done for almost 10 years with displaced individuals from other countries, we are supporting Ukrainians by providing bikes, so they can settle more easily into their new lives in the UK. We have already supported 23 Ukrainian refugees and asylum seekers, but need the public’s support to provide bikes to many more.

~ Jem Stein, CEO and Founder

With the recent arrival of 82,100 Ukrainian refugees to the UK, The Bike Project is experiencing more demand than ever.
This is an urgent call for unwanted bikes, and your help collecting them from your local communities.

 

The evolving situation in Ukraine is heart-breaking for all of us at The Bike Project. We know that millions of people are being displaced, and many will seek refuge and asylum in the UK. As we have done for almost 10 years with displaced individuals from other countries, we are supporting Ukrainians by providing bikes, so they can settle more easily into their new lives in the UK.

 

We have already supported 23 Ukrainian refugees and asylum seekers, but need the public’s support to provide bikes to many more.

 

~ Jem Stein, CEO and Founder

We spoke to Katya, a Ukrainian refugee who received a bike:

On the 24th of February, my family had to leave Ukraine after the Russian invasion. Before then we lived a normal life, my 8 year old daughter had been going to school and I had been working in one of the best companies in Ukraine. But unfortunately when the war started we did not feel safe, and I made the difficult decision to leave Ukraine and my family.

 

On the 26th April me, my daughter and my mom arrived in the United Kingdom. As newcomers we had no experience of London life, and we missed much of our previous life and habits, one of them being bike riding. My daughter started riding a bike at the age of 3, we explored all the routes and parks in Kyiv, and we missed it very much.

 

Our host did his best to help us, he found out about the Bike Project and made a bike application for my daughter. In early June we went to the Bike Project to pick up our new bikes, I did not tell my daughter till the last minute where we were going, it was a real surprise, I have not seen her so happy and excited for a very long time.

 

Having a bike here reminds us of our previous life and gives us a taste of it. We feel freedom riding bikes! Our bikes allow us to explore London, be independent and keep healthy. I would love people to donate their bikes to make another person’s dream come true. Unfortunately refugees have come to the United Kingdom not because of a good life, all of them have their own hard and sad story.

We spoke to Katya, a Ukrainian refugee who received a bike:

On the 24th of February, my family had to leave Ukraine after the Russian invasion. Before then we lived a normal life, my 8 year old daughter had been going to school and I had been working in one of the best companies in Ukraine. But unfortunately when the war started we did not feel safe, and I made the difficult decision to leave Ukraine and my family.

 

On the 26th April me, my daughter and my mom arrived in the United Kingdom. As newcomers we had no experience of London life, and we missed much of our previous life and habits, one of them being bike riding. My daughter started riding a bike at the age of 3, we explored all the routes and parks in Kyiv, and we missed it very much.

 

Our host did his best to help us, he found out about the Bike Project and made a bike application for my daughter. In early June we went to the Bike Project to pick up our new bikes, I did not tell my daughter till the last minute where we were going, it was a real surprise, I have not seen her so happy and excited for a very long time.

 

Having a bike here reminds us of our previous life and gives us a taste of it. We feel freedom riding bikes! Our bikes allow us to explore London, be independent and keep healthy. I would love people to donate their bikes to make another person’s dream come true. Unfortunately refugees have come to the United Kingdom not because of a good life, all of them have their own hard and sad story.

We need you

Donate a bike

Give us your unwanted bike, even if you think it’s in bad shape. Our talented mechanics can work wonders, and always strive to reuse parts to minimise what goes to landfill.

Collect bikes for us

Set up a drop-off point in your community. You can do it as a one-off pop up event, or on a more long-term basis. Once you reach 10 bikes, we’ll arrange a van to collect them.

We are so grateful for everyone who has opened up their gardens, schools, business premises and places of worship to help collect bikes!

Donate a bike

Give us your unwanted bike, even if you think it’s in bad shape. Our talented mechanics can work wonders, and always strive to reuse parts to minimise what goes to landfill.

Collect bikes for us

Set up a drop-off point in your community. You can do it as a one-off pop up event, or on a more long-term basis. Once you reach 10 bikes, we’ll arrange a van to collect them.

We are so grateful for everyone who has opened up their gardens, schools, business premises and places of worship to help collect bikes!

Menu