Kenilworth bike recycler gives back to food bank

Tony Sewell said it was important "to give back"

A man who established his own business to recycle old bikes is making donations to a food bank after relying on it himself in the past.

Tony Sewell, from Kenilworth, Warwickshire, said he set up The Cycle Recycler to boost his mental health and give something back to the community.

Half of the sales from selling on donated and refurbished bikes go to charitable causes.

Mr Sewell gives £100 a month to Coventry Foodbank.

He said it had been "hard for everyone in the last few years".

He added: "I'm not afraid to admit it. Thirteen years ago I had to go to the food bank.

"I was struggling myself and it's my way of paying it forward. They helped me out when I was struggling and it's important for us to give back."

The Cycle Recycler at work

Mr Sewell said he was a carer "for a mother who had dementia, arthritis and later on, lung cancer".

He stated he needed something to do while caring that took him "slightly away".

"I'd (had) a passion for bikes since I was a child. I'd worked in the trade. I went back into doing it just to keep myself occupied."

Mr Sewell said he then moved on to fundraising, because once people had heard he was doing up second-hand bicycles, they were donating bikes.

"I thought 'well if people are giving me bikes, then this money needs to go somewhere'."