Bikes Without Borders

We hope to bring an improvement in access to cycling by maintaining and modifying bicycles in our school Bike Hub.

Our Social Issue

This project aims to address the problem of lack of access to cycling for two groups. We will repair and restore bicycles to be given to Ukrainian refugees. We also, will modify or adapt a mobility bicycle to make cycling more accessible to people with physical disabilities.

Why We Chose It

When we became aware of the need for transport for newly arrived people from Ukraine we decided to set up the Bike Hub. Expert help was available from out bike mechanic Paul who taught us the necessary skills. We wanted to help people who had no access to cycling and also to provide sustainable and environmentally friendly travel options. We were approached by people in the Health Care community and asked to use our skills to repair and adapt mobility bikes. Some of the students in our team have family members with disabilities.

Our Goal

Our big idea is to work to improve access to cycling for two groups who are at a disadvantage for different reasons. Newly arrived people from Ukraine are fleeing war and when they arrive they often have limited access to transport. Our first project goal is to recycle old damaged bikes and provide them to Ukrainian refugees in Kilkenny. Our second goal is to improve access to cycling for people with various disabilities both physical and intellectual. We set out to repair bikes for people in out community whose access to cycling is limited by poor access to suitable equipment.

Our Innovative Action

We have: learned bike maintenance skills, repaired old bikes and passed them on to people from Ukraine living locally, set up a workshop in our school, fixed adaptive bikes for people whith physical disabilities, modified a mobility bike for a person with physical and intellectual disabilities, developed working relationships with local groups who help newly arrived people from Ukraine.

Our Impact

We have made it possible for people from Ukraine to travel for work, education and leisure by providing them with bikes which we have repaired and passed on to them. This also benefits the environment as it is a sustainable for of travel. People with disabilities have improved assess to the benefits of cycling because we repaired bikes for them to use. The physical and emotional benefits of cycling are a way of improving overall well being. Our project helps break down barriers which prevent disadvantaged groups from participating fully in our community.