One man’s passion for cycling inspired him to found a charity to encourage people to get on their bicyles and to recycle bikes which would otherwise sit gathering dust.
Supermarket worker Andy Pendleton founded Frodsham Bike Project in November last year, with the twofold aim of providing an empowering space for members of the community who would benefit from having access to affordable and sustainable transport, and to divert functional bikes from landfill.
Less than a year later and he has been nominated for the Trinity Mirror Your Champions Champion Volunteer award for the countless hours he has dedicated to his cause.
Andy came up with the idea after finding himself inspired by the recent surge in the popularity of cycling but unable to afford a brand new bike.
He saved up for a second-hand bike and fixed it up in his garden, which attracted requests from local children for Andy to mend their bikes too.
He and a group of other devoted volunteers have helped more than 1,200 people.
A lot of the bikes are donated by generous people who would rather see their unwanted bikes put to good use.
Andy has big ambitions for the project’s future, working with ‘people in need’ such as the unemployed, young offenders and older people who may feel isolated.
Related: New Frodsham charity seeks to recycle bikes and encourage sustainable transport
On being nominated, he said: “I’m completely shocked.
“I’m just a regular guy who is trying to help people.
“So to be nominated is a surprise and very humbling if it wasn’t for people donating their unwanted bicycles the project wouldn’t work.
“The people of my community have been a great help and very supportive.
“The bike project is doing very well, we are always busy and continue to receive regular donations, which are all are gratefully accepted we take any bike of any age, in any condition.
“One thing I would like to achieve is stopping bikes going to the tip for landfill when they can be reused and re-loved.”
