Bike donations help Preston youngsters gear up for independent living

L-R John Chesworth, David Butcher, Megan, Neil Ashton

A group of cycling enthusiasts is helping young people in Preston live independently.

Preston Grasshoppers Rollers cycling club, along with Broadgate Cycles Store in Penwortham, have recycled 35 bikes over the last 12 months to be donated to local young people who are supported by social care.

Members of the cycle club donate, restore and refurbish the second-hand bikes, helping save them from landfill, while also supporting young people to access a vital means of transport and staying active.

For the recipients, having access to a cheap form of transport can allow them to keep in touch with members of their extended family or to attend work or college, as well as providing them with a cost-effective way of staying active.

For one young person, a new donated bike is helping her as she transitions to independent living.

Megan is one of the young people who has benefitted from a new bike through the scheme. Her bike was donated by Broadgate Cycles Store, following contributions to the cost from Preston Grasshoppers Rollers cycling club and Harrison Drury solicitors.

The new bike will allow Megan to reconnect with family and friends, as well as staying active and motivated.

Neil Ashton, from Preston Grasshoppers Rollers, said: “We work with Lancashire County Council to identify deserving recipients who do not have the means to purchase bikes themselves.

“The transition from being a looked after child to living independently can be challenging and costly but providing these bikes can help these young people have the best start, providing a cheap means of transport as well as a way of improving their physical and mental wellbeing.”

David Butcher, from Broadgate Cycles, added: “Cycling is a great way to help young people live independently in a way that won’t break the bank. I hope these bikes open up the world to these young people and Megan, so that they can stay in touch with family, and make their first footsteps in the world of work.”

John Chesworth, member of Preston Grasshoppers Rollers and chair of the Preston Towns Fund Board, said: “This is a great example of people coming together to support people to have the best possible start to living independently and shows just what a generous city and county we have in Lancashire.”