Getting bikes to Africa gets mayor's approval
A scheme that is quite literally recycling old unwanted bikes is proving a great success.
The British Ironwork Centre near Oswestry has signed up to the Bikes4Africa scheme and is expanding to accept cycles from across the county.
This week Shrewsbury Mayor, Jane MacKensie visited the Ironwork Centre along with Mayor's consort, Tony Parsons and she learnt more about its involvement in the charity initiative.
Centre chairman, Clive Knowles, said the major agreed that all the bikes collected and abandoned or found in Shrewsbury that could not be returned to their owners would not be donated to the scheme.
"Usually if the owner can not be found, they go for scrap so this is a great use for them," Mr Knowles said.
"We have got a large amount of old cycles here and we are aiming to collect them from neighbouring towns too."
Mr Knowles said the charity asked that if anyone was giving a cycle for the Bikes4Africa scheme they would also consider making a £10 donation that would go directly towards the costs of getting it to Africa.
"Many African children live in remote communities, a long way from their nearest school. Without reliable, affordable, motorised transport the only way they can get to school is to walk. Having a bicycle makes a world of difference for these children, their families and also their communities.
"Bikes4Africa refurbishes donated second-hand bikes and delivers them from the UK to African schools to enable children to get to school on time and arrive alert instead of exhausted, stay for extra lessons at the end of the school day and remain safe by travelling home from school in daylight."
