The Streetwise Cycle Team, set up by the Regenboog Group, offers Amsterdammers in a vulnerable position – including homeless, former prisoners and refugees – a new chance. Cycling together helps them to connect with society again.
For material, the team is completely dependent on donations. Due to the recent growth in the number of members, a shortage of bicycles and other supplies threatened.
That is why organizer Koen Polder did one earlier this month Call on NH helps. He asked Noord-Hollanders to donate racing bikes, mountain bikes, gravel bikes, cross bikes, loose parts and rain gear.
Overwhelming response
A lot was responded to the call. Within two weeks, the social bicycle team received around twenty bikes, individual parts, wheels and cycling clothing. Most donations came from fanatic cyclists who wanted to get rid of their things.
“I am also a fanatic cyclist myself, so I know that people often need something new. As a result, their old things are dusted in sheds. We have focused on those things, and luckily people are willing to give them to us,” says a cheerful polder on NH Radio.
Due to the many donations, the bicycle team can now welcome new members. Polder is very happy with that. “We have just moved to Amsterdam-Zuidoost. There we are near all kinds of care locations. We assume that we will soon be able to receive new cyclists there,” he says.
Collection round of donated bicycles
Polder and his team are currently busy planning a large collection round for the twenty bicycles donated bicycles. “At the beginning of next week everyone will receive a message about when the bikes will be collected. We hope that people are flexible when putting the bikes, whether they put them at the neighbors where necessary. Then we can pick up everything in one go”.
Polder adds that people can still donate. “We are very happy with the people who offer that. If they can bring the bikes themselves, that is ideal, but we fully understand if that is not possible. In that case we will still pick up the bikes.”
View the report that NH helps previously made with the bicycle team below.