Collected by the prison last week, the bikes will provide an opportunity for inmates to upskill themselves while working towards a City & Guilds in Bike Mechanics qualification, provided by the Canterbury Bike Project.
Once the bikes are refurbished, they will be sold on for £10 through community groups, aiming to provide cheap and environmentally friendly transportation to locals while remaining self-funded.
The council’s scheme has already seen 100 bikes sold with the help of local charity Sheppey Matters and Faversham Town council’s Community Bike Day.
Also at the donation day were domestic abuse charity Sateda, which collected just under 100kg of children’s clothing, and the Rotary Club of Sittingbourne Invicta, which helped collect the bikes and five creates of food for people in need.
‘Working towards a greener community’
Rich Lehmann, chair of the environment and Climate Change Committee, said: “Thank you to everyone who came down on Saturday and gave donations. Thanks to your support we will be able to continue helping inmates in the project get qualifications and provide cheap and environmentally friendly transportation to our residents.
“The more people we can get cycling the better – it keeps you active, opens up opportunities for socialising and can save people money when getting around.”
Ben Silcock, HMP Swaleside’s industries manager, said: “We are proud to be working in partnership with the local council, working together has provided valuable skills for our prisoners and essential transport for the local community. We have all worked hard to build a strong relationship that works towards a greener community.”
For local residents who have an unwanted bike, there is a donation point for “roadworthy bikes” (two wheels and two brakes – along with new or good condition used parts) at Sheerness Household Waste Recycling Centre.
Subscribe for free