Member Article

Success for bike recycling scheme

Over 200 unwanted bikes handed in to a recycling scheme are now set to benefit people from as far way as Africa, thanks to generosity from people across the region.

The overwhelming response to the charity plea from Premier Waste Management has mean that an additional social enterprise in the North East can now benefit from donated bikes, and the company has extended the scheme for the foreseeable future.

The scheme, launched before Christmas, saw Premier Waste Management team up with the Recyke y’ Bike charity in Newcastle and Sports Recycler, a social enterprise in South Shields, to bring unwanted bikes back to life.

Here in the North East the bikes are being reconditioned and resold in the region, at a much lower price than a brand new bike. In this way the bike schemes give everyone the opportunity to purchase them as a gift or for transport.

Ashley Cooper, managing director, disposal division at Premier said: “Premier would like to say a huge thank you to the support shown by people from the North East, as without them, the scheme wouldn’t have been possible. “As a result of this success we have extended the scheme for the foreseeable future.”

“We decided to run the scheme to show everyone in the region that our unwanted possessions are resources, not waste. The response to the scheme has been tremendous and has meant that people from as far away as Africa will benefit from generosity across our region.”

The African scheme will provide vital support to health projects, providing doctors, nurses and midwives with bikes to reach otherwise inaccessible villages in some of the poorest countries in the World. The same scheme donates children’s bikes to Afghanistan.

For more information on how to donate your bikes, and the projects involved go to www.premierwaste.com.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ruth Mitchell .