Operated by Elland charity Project Colt, a recipient of the King’s Award for Voluntary Service, The Rusty Bike Shed is one of their new initiatives aimed at encouraging young people and adults to make use of parks, paths, and cycle lanes, with the community at its heart.
Bicycles are a fantastic means of exercise, a source of fun, and a mode of transportation for children and teenagers, but many adults also rely on well-maintained, high-quality bikes for their work commutes – particularly those who are unable to drive.
This is where The Rusty Bike Shed plays a vital role. Offering a collection of bikes donated by the local community, refurbished in the workshop, and sold back to the community at low cost and affordable rates with all the servicing, repairs, and advice to boot.
However, The Rusty Bike Shed is more than just a workshop. They also host regular bike rides, offer a ‘pay-as-you-feel’ bike hire service – soon to include e-bikes – and provide a place for dedicated volunteers to connect with others, do something they enjoy, and improve their overall mental wellbeing.
One of their most impactful initiatives has been their bike giveaways. The first of these took place at the Mixenden Party in the Parks last September, celebrating the opening of Mixenden Urban Park and the newly refurbished playground on Sunny Bank Road.
Event partners included Active Calderdale, Healthy Minds, Newground Together, and more. However, it was The Rusty Bike Shed that had locals queuing hours before the event even started.
25 children and adults were given new bikes free of charge from the Rusty Bike Shed, with Happy Days mechanics restoring older bikes and local police helping to register them.
Their most recent Christmas 2024 Bike Giveaway was equally successful. An impressive £470 was raised through generous community donations on JustGiving, allowing the Bike Shed to gift 18 newly refurbished children’s bikes to those less fortunate.
At the heart of this initiative, Dan Firth, manager of The Rusty Bike Shed, explained that the bike giveaway wasn’t just about making a child’s Christmas but also about allowing the community to feel good knowing they had helped make a child’s Christmas special.
“My little girl has been asking for one and it’s on her list,” said one parent.
“I’m having a tough time at the moment and being between jobs at this time of year is challenging.”
Dan noted that Christmas can be a worrying time for parents, especially during periods of financial stress. This giveaway ensured children didn’t feel left out and parents could give their children a joyful Christmas.
As one parent poignantly said, “Thank you for sorting the bikes. My kids are going to be over the moon!… They’ve got the one thing they’ve asked for.”
We’re thrilled that The Rusty Bike Shed was able to give these individuals the Christmas they deserved, and we can’t wait to see what’s in store for 2025!
The shop is always on the lookout for skilled volunteers, particularly bike mechanics, but is open to anyone wanting to learn new skills, get out of the house, or enjoy the company of fellow bike enthusiasts.
Regular bike rides hosted by The Rusty Bike Shed can be booked here: Colt Enterprise Events
You can find out more about Project Colt here: Project Colt
