Refurbished bikes restored by prisoners donated to Portsmouth children
Seven refurbished bikes restored by prisoners at HMP Ford have been donated to children in Buckland and Stamshaw, as well as young people supported by Enable Ability, as part of the “Recirculate” project.
The initiative collects unused bikes donated by Queen Alexandra Hospital staff and local residents, giving them a new lease of life while also providing valuable work experience for offenders. The aim is to help improve their employability upon release.
Councillor Peter Candlish, cabinet member for transport, said: “It’s a great pleasure to be able to provide local children with refurbished bikes for free – we know that many children in Portsmouth want to learn how to ride bikes but may not have the equipment or opportunity.
“By introducing cycling to younger year groups, we’re giving more children the chance to build skills and confidence that will last a lifetime.”
The Recirculate project was founded by Equans, InfraRed Capital Partners and Vercity. Support from Pario and Equans made the initiative possible by coordinating bike collections, managing prison logistics, and storing the bikes onsite.
From September, Portsmouth City Council is expanding its Bikeability training programme to help even more children build confidence on two wheels. A new series of Learn to Ride sessions will be introduced for year three and four pupils who are just learning or using stabilisers.
The sessions will take place in school playgrounds, focusing on basic cycling skills and confidence; over 600 pupils are expected to take part by spring next year.
These sessions will complement the existing Level two training for road cycling on quiet streets, which currently sees 1,800 pupils in years five and six taking part each year – up from 1,200 in 2022.
A pilot at Ark Ayrton Primary Academy saw 31 Year four pupils learn to cycle in just four days with only two hours of training.
Bikeability has also expanded outside schools through partnerships with the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme and local community events. Based on previous years, the council expects up to 700 children to join sessions this summer, with around 30 per cent learning to ride.