Vale of White Horse District Council to donate repaired bikes

Oxfordshire charity TRAX will train local students to refurbish the bikes

Donated bikes are being repaired and given to residents on low incomes or with long-term health conditions to help them get active.

The Ride Revolution project has been set up by Vale of White Horse District Council and will take unwanted bikes through donation, scrapyards and recycling centres.

They will then be repaired by students from local schools.

The repaired bikes will be matched with residents referred to the scheme.

The council said the pilot project was launched as data revealed that before the pandemic nearly 50% of children and young people in Oxfordshire did not meet the recommended 60 active minutes a day set out by the government.

Councillor Helen Pighills, cabinet member for community health and wellbeing, said similar projects in other parts of Oxfordshire had been "a great success".

"This scheme will help keep cars off the roads making them safer and as a result be better for the climate," Ms Pighills added.

The council said it was also working with Pedal Power in Abingdon to provide bike locks, helmets and other equipment.

The scheme has been funded through a number of different sources including the government and Active Oxfordshire.

Residents can be referred through different organisations including schools, GPs and the council.