A Castlemilk based charity has a unique way to raises its income to provide their free bicycle repair service by collecting aluminium and steel cans and glass lemonade bottles to recycle them. Community Can Cycle was set in 2000 by Jim O’Donnell. He started repairing bikes for his neighbours children and soon word spread and the demand grew. He realised that money was a serious problem for the low income families and he could provide a free service by collecting cans and then selling them on to raise the money to buy spare parts to provide a free service.

 

Currently they five full time employees and 21 volunteers who help out and receive training and support towards employment. They have a collection van to go and pick up any cans and old bikes which are then refurbished to bikes which are sold from £10-£30 The latest addition to the team is Mary Murphy the office manager who said, ‘Over the last year we build 1.500 bikes which is really great. As well as providing cheap bikes and a free repair service, they rebuild and reuse bikes, recycling activities they also have a volunteer pogramme.  

 

The latest addition to the team is Mary Murphy the office manager who said, ‘Over the last year we build 1.500 bikes which is really great. The local community are also supportive of this project because almost every day local people come in to drop off more bikes.’ They also have school children visiting the project to learn about what happens to their can of juice once they thrown it away. As well as providing cheap bikes and a free repair service, they rebuild and reuse bikes, recycling activities they also have a volunteer programme.

 

For more information contact: Community Can Re-Cycle 179 Drakemire Drive, Units 4a & 7A, Castlemilk, Glasgow G45 9SS. Tel. 0141 630 1015