BRIDGWATER has a new charity bike shop which opened this week.

There was a large gathering outside the new On Your Bike store in Eastover on Thursday (October 19) as it officially opened its doors for the first time.

On Your Bike is a two-pronged organisation; it is a first and foremost a charity that supports disadvantaged people into employment by providing work placements to the long-term unemployed, homeless and ex-service personnel.

However, manager Lucy Workman explains, it also a working bike shop where people can bring their bikes to be repaired, purchase second-hand bikes or hire bikes, as well as offering training for people who want to ride more but do not feel confident.

"The opening was fantastic, we had great support and Bridgwater deputy mayor Cllr Tony Heywood did the honour of cutting the ribbon," Ms Workman said.

"With us, the increasing number of cycle routes, and the Bridgwater Way project also helping to incentivise cycling, we hope we can get more people onto their bikes regularly in and around Bridgwater."

The On Your Bike base in Eastover is a temporary home as preparations are made for the charity to move into the vacant Trinity Hall on St Saviour's Avenue in the new year.

"We hope this shop will give us exposure so people can find out about what we do before we move to the bigger, but slightly more tucked away, premises at Trinity Hall."

On Your Bike was the brainchild of Somerset man Ben Fox, who started the project from a small shed facility in Wellington.

The project soon outgrew the small base, and Ben and his team moved to Taunton in 2013 and have gone from strength to strength, now branching out to Bridgwater with the help of a significant grant from the EDF Hinkley C Community Impact Mitigation (CIM) Fund.

"Each year we have increased our turnover, and have supported around 50 people," Lucy explains.

People can be referred to On Your Bike by agencies or self-refer. They will be given an interview, and should that go well, they will be offered a work placement helping to repair bikes. Every volunteer is asked for a minimum commitment of attending one day a week.

"One example of someone we have helped was a man in his 30's who had suffered a brain injury, and had lost sight in one eye following an accident," Lucy said.

"He had been out of work for some time but he took to the work very quickly and within six months he had acquired his Cytech 2 qualification and his since gone on to work as a bike mechanic at Halfords.

"Another gentleman was homeless and came in three days a week which gave him warmth and the ability to socialise and learn a new skill, and he supported us in a whole range of ways too."

Cllr Tony Heywood, who is chairman of the Bridgwater Transport Forum, said: "On Your Bike will offer a service to the community. At the Transport Forum we have agreed to try and make cycling more prominent looking at where we can have more shared pavement schemes.
"Cycling is good for people's health and wellbeing, and every person cycling means one less car on the road and can help ease the town's congestion problems."

For more information visit on-your-bike.org.