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World Bicycle Day: three cycling charities you can start supporting

June 3 is one of my favourite days of the year. It’s World Bicycle Day! Why do bicycles matter? How can you help others enjoy bikes more? Here are my three top tips.

0. Cycling – huh? – what is it good for?

Absolutely…everything.

I’m biased, obviously, but I firmly believe that a bicycle is one of the greatest machines ever invented. In 2020, as the world cities face difficult choices when it comes to post-pandemic transport, the bike feels like an obvious choice. There are so many benefits to cycling:

  • It saves you money over public transport, or car ownership.
  • It’s very social – group rides are immensely fun.
  • It is one of the healthiest ways to exercise.
  • It allows you to explore your local area in a brand new way.
  • It’s one of the greenest modes of transport.
  • Cycling changes cities – streets become quieter, and neighbourhoods are more liveable.

If you are planning to get into cycling, check out my blog post from a while back, about 3 things I wished I’d known before buying all my bikes.

So – with all said and done – what are some of the best ways to support cycling around the world?

1. World Bicycle Relief

I met these guys at a cycling expo, and I fell in love with all they do. World Bicycle Relief provides bicycles to countries and communities where they make a huge difference. Kids no longer have to walk long distances to school – bikes help them get there and back sooner and with more energy to learn. Key workers (doctors, nurses) can cover the local area more effectively.

But it’s the second part of WBR’s approach which really convinced me: part of their mission is also to train local mechanics and provide them with parts, know-how and incentive to open their own bike-fixing businesses. So the sturdy bikes from WBR don’t end up broken and disused after a few years. They keep getting maintained and repaired by local bicycle mechanics.

You can donate to World Bicycle Relief on their page.

2. The Bike Project

London is a tough place. It’s even tougher if you are a refugee.

Getting around a big city costs a lot of money, and the average refugee’s budget doesn’t always allow them to get everywhere they need to be (not if there are mouths to feed, anyway). Enter The Bike Project: a UK-based charity whose mission is to provide bicycles to London-based refugees, and keep them mobile and healthy.

The beauty, though, is in how The Bike Project does that. Their shop offers second-hand (or, sometimes, brand new!) bikes for sale at a fraction of new machines’ prices. The profits support the charity’s work – apart from bikes, you can get your hands on merchandise, cycling gear, and lots of other goodies.

All donated bikes are lovingly restored at the Project’s premises, and the community bike-fixing sessions are an absolute joy to attend – you learn a lot about bikes, while fixing them for a good cause! I was super happy to have donated my old trusty steed to them.

You can visit, shop, or donate to the Bike Project on their website.

3. London Cycling Campaign

Okay, this one is definitely local to me – but it’s my blog so I’m doing what I can 🙂

London isn’t the most bike-friendly of cities, but it’s trying hard. The cycling community is strong and tight-knit. New initiatives happen almost every week. And in 2020, as the city plans its way out of a pandemic – and public transport remains limited – it is obvious that London won’t take any more cars on its roads; it needs bicycles.

This is where London Cycling Campaign comes in. It’s like a trade union for London cyclists – join, and you will get plenty of advice and support for you on an individual level, while your donation will help LCC fight and campaign for more cycle lanes, safe streets, and cyclist-friendly borough planning.

You can join London Cycling Campaign on their website here.

Any other cycling charities I should know about?

(Photo by Patrick Hendry on Unsplash)