Cycling charity hub helping vulnerable to close

Ed Norton, CEO of Life Cycle, said they were proud of what they had accomplished in Derby

A cycling charity which donates bicycles to vulnerable people is closing its Derby hub after 11 years over financial pressures.

Life Cycle taught prisoners, former offenders and volunteers how to refurbish broken and unwanted bicycles, and they would be returned to the community so more people could access cycling.

The charity in Siddals Road said it would shut on 3 December due to financial challenges including the employer National Insurance contributions increase, complications around its workshop lease renewal, and high costs of renting elsewhere.

CEO Ed Norton said the decision to close, leaving a "significant gap in Derby’s cycling community", was "extraordinarily difficult" to make.

The closure of the hub was "such a sad loss for the Derby community", said Becky Whitlock from Life Cycle

The hub - where four staff members and a team of volunteers were based - is now closed to new customers but will honour all existing jobs.

Mr Norton said: "The unwavering commitment of our incredible team, along with support from our partners, customers, and donors, has carried us this far in highly challenging conditions.

"However, financial pressures have escalated to the point of becoming unsustainable."

Life Cycle said in last five years the Derby hub had helped more than 3,000 people, with about 2,000 bikes recycled, 1,000 bikes given away free or subsidised to vulnerable people.

It said it also helped to train about 250 refugees to cycle.

After the hub became an accredited training centre for bicycle mechanics in 2021, 100 people have achieved this accreditation.

Mr Norton added: "The closure of the Derby Hub will leave a significant gap in Derby’s cycling community, especially for individuals who face additional barriers to cycling."

Becky Whitlock, from Life Cycle, added: "We have a fantastic team of volunteers, staff and freelancers who have been doing amazing work with refugees, people on low incomes and just local people to give them access to a lovely, healthy, sustainable mode of transport.

"We feel really, really sad to say goodbye to the Derby cycling community after 11 years when so much amazing work has been achieved."

Life Cycle said it would continue to operate its services in Bristol and at HMP Fosse Way in Leicester.