Pictured above: Mitch Allseybrook community development
manager at Derwent Living
Derwent Living is joining forces with Groundwork Derby and
Derbyshire to run a social enterprise project that will create
training and job opportunities for its customers.
The project, which is due to be launched in the summer, will see
the partners take old and disused bicycles, renovate them and then
sell them on to the public.
Derwent Living has donated its mobile unit to the project, which
is now no longer in use, as well as £13,000 to help with set
up costs. The mobile unit is being turned into a mobile workshop
where old bikes, from public donations and those recovered by the
police but not claimed, can be renovated and sold.
There are two aims of the project - to divert waste from
landfill by recycling and reusing bicycles and to provide training,
work placements, physical activities and volunteering opportunities
for Derwent Living customers and the wider community.
Using the mobile unit as a bicycle repair workshop will also
mean that the project can tour the region, allowing more of Derwent
Living's customers to access the project.
Funding for the project is also being invested by Cycle Derby -
a three year project within Derby with a vision to get more people
cycling, more safely, more often. The venture aims to be self
sufficient after the first year and will work as a social
enterprise, feeding the money it makes back into the project. The
initiative will also mean the creation of a number of jobs
including a project manager and an assistant working as a trainee
on a rolling basis. This may take the form of six monthly
apprenticeships aimed at Derwent Living residents.
The apprentice will be taught bicycle maintenance and skills to
utilise in future employment.
Mitch Allseybrook, community development manager at Derwent
Living said: "Whilst the planning for this project is still in the
early stages, it is really exciting. There are so many elements to
look at, such as the recycling aspect, the creation of jobs and
also providing cheap bikes to our customers and members of the
wider community."
The plans for the project are still being devised, but it is
hoped that the unit will eventually be used for training days
during the school holidays, when children aged 12 and over can come
and work for free on the unit - recycling bikes and then as a
reward be gifted with the bike at the end of the week. Also cycle
proficiency can be completed by children on the schemes it
visits
Mitch adds: "Derwent Living is proud to be supporting Groundwork
Derby and Derbyshire on this project and we think the benefits to
the community will be enormous. We are continuously striving to
improve the neighbourhoods where our residents live, and we see
this project as being another forward step in doing this."
Rebecca McIntyre, development director at Groundwork Derby and
Derbyshire said: "This project fits with so many important
priorities, its great to see it starting to take shape. It will
help our communities to get fit and active through providing low
cost bicycles, as well as reducing the amount of waste sent to
landfill and helping local people develop new skills and find work.
We are delighted with the support from Derwent Living to be able to
get the project up and running."
The mobile unit is currently being adapted and the aim is to
have the project up and running in April.
Derwent Living is always on the look out for worthwhile
community projects to support. If you have a project or group that
is beneficial to the local community and you need help with some
funding then please contact Mitch Allseybrook, community
development manager on 01332 614875.