BIKE RECYCLING SCHEME RAISES £100,000

A local bike recycling scheme run by volunteers has now raised over £100,000 for local charities, including Treetops. The innovative scheme, which started in late 2018, is the brainchild of 'Pushbike Paul' Wilcox. Paul, and a team of volunteers, collect donated bikes from the local area, then sell them in return for a donation. Thousands of bikes have been restored since the scheme began. Proceeds go to local charities including ourselves and the Rotary Club of Long Eaton. Some bikes have also been donated to local causes such as women’s refuges.

Giving bikes a new home

Paul is a life-long bike enthusiast: “From being a child, I have always been interested in how bikes work. I was often rescuing old bikes to renovate. Needs must in those days as you couldn’t afford to buy new! The challenge remains to restore any unwanted bikes and give them a new home. A huge range of bikes, for children and adults, have passed through the scheme from classic 1950s BSA and Raleigh bikes, to modern high-end Whyte Bikes and even an adult Pashley trike. Some of the bikes need far too much work to tackle but nothing goes to waste. Parts are stripped and saved for repairs, and any remnants weighed in for scrap.”

A great team of volunteers

“A great team of volunteers keeps everything running. My wife, Pauline, has been a volunteer at Treetops for over ten years and she helps with the admin. Our close friend Margaret Gregory deals with all the sales, which are done via Facebook Marketplace. It’s no mean feat for someone well into her late 70s - she is often dealing with sales, repairing and cleaning bikes and so on, late into the evening! David, our neighbour, helps me with the mechanical refurbishment. Another friend, Sam, recognises if bikes are worth more for their spare parts and sells the more specialised bikes on eBay. Raising over £100,000 is way beyond anything we anticipated in the early days of the scheme. We get to meet so many lovely people who are happy that either their old bike, or their donation, is going to such worthwhile causes.”

Helping us care for terminally ill patients

We have received over £60,000 from the hugely successful scheme. Adela Appleby, our Head of Community Relationships, explained the impact for the hospice:“With every bike recycled and sold, the team are helping us to care for terminally ill patients and their families in the local community. Their support makes such a big difference, and we cannot thank them enough. We’re delighted they’ve reached this wonderful milestone!”