New bicycle project to open in Platt Fields Park
Article published: Sunday, May 22nd 2011
A new community project, run as a worker’s co-operative, is setting up shop in Platt Field’s Park. Pedal MCR are hoping to provide the materials and expertise needed to help local people learn new skills and gain confidence through cycling.
Nes Brierley, one of the people organising the project, said: “Pedal will be a bike workshop essentially, but it will be a space where people can come and learn about bike maintenance and take part in cycle confidence classes and all different types of bicycle education.
“There will also be a workshop space where people can come at designated times to borrow and use tools and fix up their bikes and get help doing that from volunteers.”
Pedal MCR will be based in the Boathouse by the lake in Platt Fields Park and has been set up through a mixture of local donations and grants from charitable trusts. From there will be run the ‘earn-a-bike’ scheme,where people will be able to volunteer a number of hours at the workshop while learning to maintain and safely ride a bicycle. In return they can receive a free donated bike.
Brierley, who is a bike mechanic already involved with similar projects in Hulme and Whalley Range, said: “Earn-a-bike is aimed at people who couldn’t otherwise afford a bicycle so that could be a number of people, like young people, unemployed people – of which there are a growing number- asylum seekers, all different kinds of people.
“We’re trying to work with some organisations which already exist that can put people in touch with us so that they can access the service as well.
“Environmentally; health-wise; economically, a bicycle is an amazing form of transport. For an individual it can provide a really great source of independence, so you can go wherever you want whenever you want, so you don’t have to rely on other people, or rely on a bus or a train, which are really expensive.
“Also, if you can fix it and learn how to ride it confidently and you’ve got a place where you can come and borrow tools to fix it then there’s nothing to stop you riding a bicycle.’
James Legge
Pedal MCR is already active but will officially open on 9 July. They are currently applying for a funding grant from the Co-operative’s ‘Join the Revolution’ competition, which is decided by public vote with a deadline of 29 May. You can vote for Pedal MCR here.
More: Manchester, News
Comments
-
Just to let you know we are actually opening the weekend of 9th July (not 3rd)
Comment by Nes on June 3, 2011 at 10:03 am -
could somebody call me please re some information regarding setting up a project im also intrested in the bike scheme my tel no is 07730263716 manythanks colin
Comment by colin on August 14, 2011 at 4:44 pm
The comments are closed.
