Bolton's Cycle 2 Health offers free bikes to Ukrainian refugees

A cycling shop is giving away free bikes to people from Ukraine who need to travel to new jobs.

James Moller and Daniel Dutton at Superior Cycles in Tonge Moor Road, Bolton, started the new project to help Ukrainian refugees get to work last month.

The team got the idea when they were contacted by someone hosting two refugees at her home.

One of the refugees is a qualified accountant and is now working at a hotel washing dishes.

Bolton Superior Cycles give away free refurbished bikes in community call

James said: “We’re just trying to help people who might have work and have no way to get there while it’s also environmentally friendly.

“We sort them out with helmets and the full gear as well as the bike to get them from A to B.

“They were happy to even get a job at all because something is better than nothing but when they came here, they had nothing but £200 for six weeks.

“Money has been getting tight for them both and for us, it’s just what we do to help the community.

“They too are part of the Bolton community now and so we wanted to help them.”

James and Daniel are not  new to helping people get around on bikes.

The provided people who don't have cars or money for public transport with refurbished bikes.

Throughout lockdown, the team had received old bikes from many people in the community who were looking to buy new ones in a new surge of cycling.

James said: “We think it’s helping the community get fit as well as stopping things ending up in a landfill when they can be recycled.