Access Bike

Access Bike is a community bike workshop and youth space where young people come together to build, repair and up-cycle old bikes.

The Access Bike Project aims to remove the financial barriers to owning and maintaining a bike. The project revolves around refurbishing donated bikes and selling them at affordable prices. We also provide free access to our workshop space, bike-stands, tools and mechanic support.

The project primarily supports young people aged 13 to 25 in a vibrant, inclusive, and supportive youth space. There are also opportunities for adults to use the workshop, particularly women and/or adults with additional needs. A 1:1 mentoring scheme is available to enable young people to explore their potential in a range of ways, underpinned by our three core values of Inclusion, Empowerment and Sustainability. 

“The atmosphere is great here, it’s always such a laugh. Nice people, good tunes, great bikes, what’s not to love!?” – Access Bike Participant

Young people can:

  • ‘Earn a bike’ through volunteering to fix up bikes for others
  • Work on their own bikes
  • Learn bike mechanics
  • Explore building bikes and upcycling ideas from second-hand parts and scrap
  • Develop and maintain friendships
  • Access volunteering and work opportunities

There is plenty of space for young people to find support with an idea, share skills and explore new interests alongside their peers.

What happens at Access Bike

We have regular open workshop sessions four days a week, a mixture of booked and drop-in sessions. We offer quieter sessions for those who prefer this, as drop-ins can be busy and noisy.

Go to bookwhen.com/accessbike for the latest calendar and to book or let us know you plan to attend.

  • Tuesdays 3.30-7.30pm – Naomi and Freya host a session for women and non-binary people at new venue 10 John St. These sessions are open to all ages – children younger than secondary school age must be accompanied by an adult
  • Wednesdays 2-6pm – James, Naomi and Rowan host quieter booked sessions for people who are new to the space or need additional support for any reason. These sessions are at Fromehall Mill and open to all ages – children younger than secondary school age must be accompanied by an adult
  • Thursdays 10.30-1.30pm – James and Rupert run booked sessions for adults at Fromehall Mill (18+. We have some regulars and limited space for extra bookings
  • Thursdays and Fridays 2-6pm – Rupert, Rowan, Scotty and James run drop-in sessions for 13-25 year olds at Fromehall Mill (though get in touch if these are the only days you can make it and you are older or younger).

Some people may need 1:1 support to fully take part at Access Bike. For this we can offer a mentoring programme, to be discussed based on each individual.

Contact accessbike@cscic.org or call 07482 104038 to discuss.

Who is Access Bike for?

Access Bike is primarily for 13 – 25-year-olds. Many of our participants come to the workshop after school. We also support young people who are not in school for whatever reason – including home education and Alternative Provision Schools (SCAPs).

We offer a space that is supportive for all young people but with a focus on marginalised young people and those with barriers to participation: 

  • Disabled young people
  • Young people who are unemployed and not in education  
  • Young people who want support with their mental health 
  • Young people with autistic and neuro-diverse traits 
  • Young refugees and asylum seekers 
  • Young people at risk of negative influences and relationships 
  • Young people living in difficult family or housing situations 
  • Young people experiencing isolation and loneliness 
  • Young parents 
  • Women, non-binary and genderqueer people who may prefer a workshop space that is not dominated by men (Monday sessions)

We are open to arranging sessions with groups of young people being supported by a particular school or other organisation. We have previously worked with Archway secondary school, school, The Shrubberies further education college, and Gloucestershire Action for Refugees and Asylum Seekers (GARAS) over the past few years.

Our GARAS sessions have provided a safe place for young refugees and asylum seekers living in Gloucester to come together, get out of the city, enjoy access to green spaces through cycling, and form friendships.

The Access Bike project can also provide bike checks and introductions to bike mechanics at locations away from our workshop. Get in touch to find out more.

You can donate bikes, your time, or money to us.

We are really grateful for offers of bikes as the project couldn’t function without donated bikes. However, we are limited on space and capacity so ask that you contact us with a picture of any bike(s) you want to donate. We can also arrange a time for you to drop anything off at the workshop when we can collect it.

Please do not drop off any bikes by the workshop without contacting us first.

If you have mechanic skills or experience mentoring young people and would like to volunteer your time, get in touch.

We know that some amazing people don’t have the time or old bikes to give but still want to support the project. If that’s you, thank you and please use the donate button on our website to give as much as you can. We are also running a crowdfunder to support our work with young refugees and asylum seekers specifically.

We also have our very own bike shop where you can help fund the project by buying a refurbished bike. You may simply need a bike to get to school or work, or you may find the hi-spec racing bike of your dreams. Just pop in when we’re open to see what we have on offer.

Get in touch

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