The Bike Project takes second-hand bikes, fixes them up and donates them to refugees and asylum-seekers.
We think London is a great city, bursting with opportunities – but it's also expensive. Especially when you're a refugee trying to navigate the complex asylum process on just £36 a week. At The Bike Project, we believe that no one should have to choose between eating a square meal and catching the bus. That's why we do bikes.
Having fled persecution and atrocity in their country of origin, most refugees arrive in London with absolutely nothing. A bike helps refugees and asylum-seekers access food banks, legal advice, healthcare, education and much more. If they're lucky enough to receive official refugee status, a bike can help them find employment.
As one of our bike beneficiaries put it: "When you have to go from charity to charity to feed yourself, a bike becomes very important to your life."
Since 2013, we have given away nearly 3,000 bikes to refugees from dozens of countries including Syria, Eritrea and Albania.
We also run cycle training for refugee women, empowering them to take control of their own transport – perhaps for the first time in their lives.