Agenda item

The Committee welcomed Jem Stein from The Bike Project to the meeting.

Mr Stein advised that refugees going through the asylum process are only granted £36 a week in benefits to live on and are prevented from finding employment. Members noted that a bike can help them access the many resources that London has to offer without having to spend their limited financial allowance on other public transport options. Mr Stein advised that the Project took second-hand bikes, fixed them up, and donated them to refugees and asylum seekers. This had started on a small-scale but, since the refugee crisis, had escalated so much that an automated system had been put in place to manage and meet the demand. In order to secure long-term sustainability for the Project, some of the bikes that are received and donated go on to be sold through The Bike Shop. This had been the recipient of a Stepping Stones grant which allowed the shop to be scaled up and had resulted in subsequent social investment.

In response to Members’ questions, Mr Stein confirmed that the Bike Project also undertook mobile bike repair, which provided an additional income stream as well as securing corporate partnerships. He advised that the Project did not ask for donations, focusing instead on sales, and were not looking to expand in terms of beneficiaries but were seeking to expand to other cities. He confirmed that bikes were collected from drop-off sites and those abandoned at racks (through liaison with building managers) and every bike was donated alongside the relevant safety equipment and cycling courses.

The Chairman thanked Jem Stein for his presentation.