Totnes Bike Hub help riders get back in the saddle with police funding

Members of the Totnes Bike Hub have used police funding and pedal power to ‘wheely’ help local people with physical and mental health issues.

The Community Interest Company was awarded £2,850 from the Proceeds Of Crime Act (POCA) funding which has really helped them to make a difference. POCA funding is money seized from criminals and re-distributed to good causes in local communities.

Devon and Cornwall Police hands out funds to various charitable organisations throughout the year and has pledged thousands of pounds to assist others.  

Co-director of the Totnes Bike Hub, Lizzie Woodall, explained: "The POCA grant has been an absolute help with running our weekly Tea and Tinkering sessions. These sessions are for individuals who are experiencing physical or mental health difficulties. Some people are referred to the programme via the NHS or some self-refer. 

"We also have a number of young people who attend and their confidence has soared. They have gained new skills in fixing bikes and one teenager has started to fix bikes belonging to other students at his school. He said he was keen to start cycling to our sessions on his bike which is a big step for him.

"We have a number of other participants with mental health conditions that attend, and it's great to see how the sessions have helped them."

Totnes Bike Hub opened in September 2021. As well as servicing and repairing customer bikes, they teach bike maintenance skills through restoring donated bikes which they sell or give away, and they run a weekly bike ride. Their aim is to make cycling accessible for all, to reduce social isolation and teach new skills. The hub relies on its fantastic volunteers and they always welcome new volunteers to the team.    

Feedback from the participants has been very positive and the project continues to this day. The funding allowed the hub to run 30 weekly sessions with an average of six people in each session. During this period, 28 bikes were restored back to their former glory and sold. An additional ten bikes were restored and donated to Refurnish, for them to sell to those who are deprived economically.  

One participant said: "It is great having a local bike shop being run by people passionate about bikes and social wellbeing” while another said: "The Totnes Bike Hub is a fantastic organisation offering support to all people in the community and beyond.

"Being able to refer people in for various types of help including opportunities to volunteer, to learn new skills and to be on the end of their generosity in providing low-cost bike repairs and even a bike free of charge to someone in need. Amazing, always cheerful and super helpful."

For more information about Totnes Bike Hub please visit their website Totnes Bike Hub.

Any local community groups who want to find out more about POCA funding and how to apply should speak to their local policing team.