Westminster City Council delivers paid bicycle mechanic training initiative

With funding provided by Westminster City Council, Westminster Wheelers has enabled young adults to achieve a City & Guilds (C&G) qualification, with a guaranteed job on completion, via a paid six-month bicycle mechanic training programme. 

Led by fully qualified instructor and 25-year veteran of Brixton Cycles, Barney Stutter, the scheme has been delivered by Groundwork London and Cycle Confident, both of whom offer young Westminster residents who are not in education or employment the opportunity to gain the skills and experience to become qualified bicycle mechanics. 

Impact of the project to date 

To date, 17 young residents have completed mechanic training courses and have been employed by the project, in the process transforming unwanted bikes into high-quality, affordable bikes for Westminster residents. The team of young mechanics have been busy refurbishing bikes, already donating 40 bikes to the Community.  

Many of the bikes being refurbished are supplied by Veolia and the Metropolitan Police, bikes which would otherwise end up in landfill. Once refurbished these are sold so as to reinvest in the programme, or are donated back into the community 

As more bikes are received, these will also be donated to community groups, like the Tell it Parent’s Network, which has started a Women’s cycling group. The aim is to refurbish 2,000 bikes per year and donate 400 newly refurbished bikes to Westminster residents who need them most. 

Michael Barratt, Development Impact Manager for TFL, has partnered with the Westminster Wheelers C&G instructor Barney Stutter to offer further professional development, including CV assistance and interview practice.  

How can you support the project? 

Donate: If your customers have an unused or unwanted bike, please consider donating it to Westminster Wheels to help build this cause and continue to transform young people’s lives through this project. To donate a bike please drop off at the shop, found at 41-45 Church Street, London, between 9am and 5pm Monday to Saturday. Alternatively donate online.

Bike repairs, servicing and purchasing a bike: come and see our trainees at work, visit the shop at 41-45 Church Street, NW8 8ES between 9am and 5pm Monday to Saturday. The shop has bikes for adults and children and the team can undertake repairs and servicing. Buying a second-hand bike from the project helps to re-use old bikes, it reduces energy consumption and your carbon footprint associated with manufacturing and the distributing new bikes. All bikes for sale are checked by experienced and qualified mechanics.

Help sponsor the project: if you are interested in sponsoring the project, which could include paying for training or sponsoring the bikes donated to the community, please contact ResponsibleEconomy-Team@westminster.gov.uk 

The Westminster Wheelers programme is funded by Westminster City Council, with generous support from sponsors Capita, Grosvenor, Howard de Walden Estate, Ecoworld and RMG. 

(Image credit: Michael Barratt)