Having a Preston Pedals’ community hub will fill a vital gap by creating a thriving base in Preston to support people who cycle, fostering a sense of community while improving health and the environment. Through offering our successful DIY workshops, bike repairs and refurbishment in one place we’ll increase confidence and encourage even more people to cycle. A cycle hub will serve as a base for bike mechanics, ride leaders and others to operate from, and offer valuable volunteer opportunities for anyone from the community to gain skills while contributing to a sustainable future.
Preston Pedals hub would be a welcoming space where people can come to fix their bikes, meet others, participate in cycle related events, and access good quality refurbished low-cost or free bikes donated by the public. By increasing access to bikes and supporting everyday cycling, Preston Pedals community cycle hub will help more people to use bikes for everyday travel, making the hub an essential resource for ‘active travel’ in Preston.
Our crowdfunding campaign runs until mid-May on Spacehive, the UK and Ireland’s dedicated platform for funding local projects. Our project was verified and through the Spacehive partnership with Lancashire County Council Culture and Sport Fund, who have already pledged £3,840, adding to 58% of our target with40+ other backers. But we have to hit our target to receive anything – we need more backers!
Why it’s a great idea:
For the last two years, Preston Pedals has been using bikes to bring people together and make a positive impact across the community. From bike repair sessions and confidence-building rides to giving away bikes for free, we’ve worked hard to make cycling a viable option across Preston. However, moving bikes, tools, and equipment between different venues has been challenging, having everything in one place would greatly streamline our efforts to reach more people.
At a time when air pollution, health concerns, the cost of living are at the forefront, cycling is an easy way to reduce what we spend while staying fit and supporting the environment. Swapping car journeys for cycling benefits not only individuals but the entire community, helping to make Preston safer, healthier, and a more enjoyable place to live. It also helps local councils achieve their active travel goals. By having a dedicated base, we’ll increase our impact and encourage many more people to cycle, improving life for everyone in Preston.
What will we do with the money?
- Create a lively, welcoming community space dedicated to supporting cycling in Preston
- Offer ‘Bike Kitchens’ and workshops where anyone can come to learn how to fix and maintain their bike
- Provide a well-equipped cycle workshop area for mechanics and volunteers to refurbish on bikes
- Showcase good quality refurbished bikes for sale that have been safety checked
- Depending on the size of the space, we’d plan to run occasional events with speakers and films of interest to cyclists, especially everyday cyclists
We can definitely do more if we have a base! A physical location means we can offer more regular repair workshops, skills training, and bike maintenance courses. It opens up potential for hosting exciting events, pop-up markets, and partnerships with other local community organisations. A central, welcoming space will encourage more people to visit and to volunteer, to attend events, or simply to drop in for advice or to connect with others. This would help foster a sense of belonging and would develop Preston’s cycling community. In short, a dedicated Preston Pedals base means we could become stronger, more efficient and be more impactful for the local community while fostering growth, sustainability, and long-term success.
