From tracks to trails

Based in Cumbernauld, I Am Bikes supports cycling within the community by recycling and refurbishing bikes, organising cycling groups, and running cycle maintenance classes.

The organisation provides skills training and employment opportunities for local people with over 120 people visiting its workshop every week. They also work with local families, encouraging children to recycle their old bikes and think about the environment. Parents and carers can visit I Am Bikes to source affordable used bikes that encourage active travel and support families to get outdoors and cycle as part of a healthy lifestyle.  The group has also set up an over 65's Cycling Club to keep the elderly community active in Cumbernauld.

I Am Bikes successfully applied to the ScotRail Foundation, administered by Foundation Scotland, for support to set up a cycle hub and café in their new premises, close to Cumbernauld and Greenfaulds Railway Stations. A grant of £4,650 helped purchase benches and tables, kitchen flooring and units and chilled display case, utensils, crockery and a fridge as well as marketing materials and signage. 

Since receiving the funding, I Am Bikes has built “Café Haus”, which is proving to be a great place for groups to meet, find out more about the community. Many other local groups hold their regular meetings here, further connecting everyone in the local community.  The Café is an ideal base for those using the local facilities including the local path network, ideal for cycling around Cumbernauld.  The Café has also allowed the group to expand its volunteer network and provide training-for-work experience to local people.

I am Bikes have also created a local cycling network in partnership with the North Lanarkshire Council Roads Safety Team. Working with the council's leisure department, they have also helped promote the new international BMX Track.

Thank to support from the ScotRail Foundation, I am Bikes is improving health and well-being in their community by providing refurbished bikes, promoting healthy eating and exercise and training, and employment opportunities. 

We are absolutely delighted with Café Haus and so many people have commented on how great it looks.  We have already hosted a wide range of groups using the Café as a meeting spot, most recently the Scottish School for Social Entrepreneurs. Our locally made soup and a sandwich was highly commended and we received rave reviews on our social networking sites. This wouldn’t have been possible without funding from the ScotRail Foundation”. 

 

Angela Fitzsimons, Project Manager