“The Bike Freedom project helps people get around the city…”
I have been a volunteer at the 999 Club since June 2014. I started off serving tea and coffee in the drop in. I loved it – speaking to the service users and doing the service shift.
One day a service user had to get to a very important appointment – but there was no social fund left to help pay for his travel.
I asked the service user how he would get there. He replied that he would walk. It was then that I thought about using bikes to get the service users where they needed to go.
Not long after that another volunteer and I saw a leaflet advertising the funds to be given out by the Evelyn ward in Lewisham which includes Deptford. We enquired as to whether we could apply. We did and were successful. We acquired the bikes, launched the project and have made and built lasting relationships with different agencies in the community to further our project.
In the couple of months since Bike Freedom has begun, two people have found employment and another person is on his way to securing accommodation. Further to this, we have had many enquiries which shows that others want to use it. There is plenty of room to expand.