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The Pilsdon at Malling Community – Recycle Cycles
This group based in West Malling Kent, offer a refuge to people in crisis – those who suffer from
addiction or mental health issues, homelessness, bereavement or depression. They give them a place
to find themselves and to put some order back in their lives.
Members of the group attended our Recycle Cycles course as
they wanted to create a workshop so that they could fix up and
recycle old bikes. As there was no bike shop in West Malling
the group also wanted to do minor repairs for people living in
the local community and sell low cost recycled bikes to those
who couldn’t afford to buy new. Once the project was set up it
would be self-sustaining and could even raise money to
support the work the group does.
To help set up the project the group successfully applied for a
grant of £300 from Trafford Hall to buy a selection of tools and
bike stands, this was match funded by Christchurch with All
Saints in Tunbridge Wells Kent.
The group have had further help from residents and also a
group of schoolboys who are interested in cycling and want to
know more about the mechanics of fixing a bike.
“The project has been a success so far in that it has made a small profit (about £600 to date) but it has
also supplied bicycles to all residents who want them. Also it has brought our community to the
attention of the wider public, who are starting to engage in our core function”.
Dennis Rink – The
Pilsdon at Malling Community