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Bikes For Africa

Thursday 14 July 2022

Bikes For Africa

Wicklow County Council, the Rotary Clubs of Wicklow and Bray and the Irish Prison Service have joined forces to collect bikes which will be repaired and shipped to Africa for use by school students.

Wicklow County Council and Rotary Ireland are working together to collect old bikes which can be repaired and shipped to Africa for use by school students there.

The bikes are being collected through Wicklow’s five recycling centres. The bikes are repaired in Shelton Abbey Open Prison before being shipped to the Gambia for distribution to students.

The project is seeking good quality sturdy bikes that can be repaired for reuse and which will be suitable for use on more basic roads. The project provides students with the means to get to their nearest secondary school. This simple mode of transport can help transform their daily lives where students often have to commute up to 5km to school.

Bikes can be left in at any of Wicklow’s five recycling centres from where they will be brought to Arklow for repair. Bikes wanted include:

  • Strong bikes that can withstand rough terrain
  • Bikes that suit both primary and secondary students but not small children’s bikes
  • A minimum wheel size of 24”
  • A bike in reasonable repair that can be readily brought back to a workable order

The project is a joint initiative between the Rotary clubs in Wicklow and Bray, the Irish Prison Service and Wicklow County Council. Wicklow County Council has installed storage at Arklow recycling centre for the bikes and the Irish Prison Service has developed a bike repair service in Shelton Abbey Open Prison.

Cllr Tommy Annesley, Cathaoirleach, Wicklow County Council, welcomed the initiative noting that the town of Arklow has benefited from several Shelton Abbey projects and work programmes.

He said: “Bikes can be given a new lease of life with repair and shipment. It will give students vital support to get an education at school. It’s great to see the three partners Wicklow County Council, Rotary Ireland and the Irish Prison Service working together to make this happen.”

The project is part of Wicklow County Council’s commitment to promoting circular economy activity through its recycling centre. If you have an old bike or two unused in a shed or garage, why not take the opportunity to declutter and give it a new lease of life.

This project received funding from the Department of Environment, Climate and Communication under the Anti-Dumping initiative.

 

Pic Caption: L/R -  Billy Redmond, Arklow Recycling Centre;  Martina Robinson, President of Wicklow Rotary Club,; Jim Callery, Wicklow County Council; Andy Bolger, Wicklow Rotary Club; Cllr Tommy Annesley, Cathaoirleach, Wicklow County Council;  Sean Fitzgerald, District Governor, Rotary Ireland;  Mike Connolly, Assistant Governor, Rotary Ireland;  Theresa Morgan, President, Bray Rotary Club; Pat Dunne, Arklow Recycling Centre and Pat Hastings, Bray Rotary Club.

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