Welcome to Bikes for Refugees Scotland

Bikes provide isolated and disadvantaged New Scots with a free and sustainable means of travel.

A day bus ticket in Glasgow costs £5.60. In Edinburgh £5.00 and £10.50 for a family ticket. The avg UK daily food shop is £6.00. Clothes spend £1.46. Toiletries spend 30p.

With no right to work and an asylum allowance of just £7 per day (£8.00 ‘per week’ for hotel residents) for all daily living expenses- food, clothes, toiletries and expensive public transport costs- access to bicycles can be a lifeline for many New Scots.

The cost of living crisis is deepening the severe poverty and disadvantage experienced by many families, having to make difficult choices between expensive public transport costs and eating.

With your support we can aleviate this disadvantage and extend a hand of friendship through the transformational power of bikes and cycling.

We are a unique community project with high impact and social return on investment.

New Scots tell us that with your support they don’t have to make difficult choices between eating and expensive public transport costs. Bicycles as a free and sustainable mode of transport help people to access-

Essential meetings, health services and community activities
Language classes
Legal supports
School, college, university
Volunteering and work opportunities

Cycling also helps to:-

Protect and promote physical health and mental wellbeing
Meet new people, develop new friendships and social support networks
Put some fun and joy into the lives of people who have endured much trauma and hardship

With your support we can extend a hand of friendship to many more New Scots through the gift of bikes and cycling.

Quotes Database

I got a bicycle from bike for refugees and so happy with it as it helped me with finances and now don’t need that much for buses for getting to places and meeting people. Mentally it has helped me to be more happy than before.

My bike helped me when I first came to Scotland to make my new home here when I didn’t know anyone or where to go. Asylum seekers have only very limited funds so having a bike can help people like me access employment and their community.

I am a refugee and I am studying English at the moment. Having a bike helped me a lot to go to the college and to different destination and at the same time it's helped me to do exercise and to be healthy.

Mentally it has helped me to be more happy than before. Thanks to everyone who helped me to get a bike and thanks for who donated it.

MEET SOME OF OUR NEW SCOTS FRIENDS

With your support we have provided over 2900 New Scots with essential mobility & freedom of movement

People tell us how important it is having a bike for many daily activities and to help keep fit & mentally healthy

Featured

The bike provides me with mobility and easy access to all parts of the city without being dependent buying expensive bus tickets.

Bikes for Refugees tries to make the world a brighter place by welcoming New Scots with a bike to explore the city and lots of new places in Scotland.

My bike helped me when I first came to Scotland, to make my new home here when I didn't know anyone or where to go.

Thank you from my deepest heart to bring happiness and joy for my kids.

I got a bicycle from Bikes for Refugees and so happy with it as it helped me with finances and now I don’t need that much for buses, for getting to places and meeting people.

We enjoyed every minute that we ride those bikes together and also it gave us chance to visit many new places as it is really helpful every day to have a bike.

DONATE A BIKE TODAY

Your bike donation will provide a free means of accessing essential support services and meetings, to meet new people, and to keep physically fit & mentally healthy.

To donate a bike please complete our Donate a Bike Form. Once we receive your form we will be in contact to discuss. Please note that we are part-time and not always able to reply immediately.

Please note- the better the condition the bike the better. We have limited resources and capacity. We are unable to accept ‘abandoned’ bikes from closes/stairwells unless you have permission from the owner.

DONATE A BIKE

PLEASE ALSO CONSIDER DONATING FUNDS TO HELP REPAIR YOUR BIKE AND/OR PURCHASE ESSENTIAL BIKE ACCESSORIES

Donate funds to get a New scot cycling

Sponsor a New Scot

We welcome both one-off or regular donations.

Donate £25 to provide a child with the joy and gift of cycling.

Donate £45 to gift a Welcome Pack for a New Scot.

We welcome your donations no matter how large or small- every pound donated will help to provide New Scots with essential mobility and the joys of cycling.

THANK YOU.

Make a donation

Help us to support New Scots

We need your support and skills to help with-

Repairing & refurbishing bikes
Fundraising activities & community events
Collecting & dropping bikes
Expertise as trustees, admin, graphic & web design, business support etc.
Many other support activities as needs arise

If you are interested in supporting New Scots, please visit our volunteering page and complete our volunteering enquiry form stating your skills and interests.

We particularly welcome enquiries from refugees and asylum seekers.

enquire about volunteering

Welcome to Scotland

REFUGEES AND ASYLUM SEEKERS REQUEST A BIKE HERE

If you are a refugee or asylum seeker living in Scotland (New Scot) we can provide you with a free bike. We will also provide you with a free Welcome Pack that contains a new bike helmet, lock and lights.

Please complete the online form on our website and you will be added to our waiting list. When a bike becomes available we will contact you.

request a bike here

COVID-19 GUIDANCE

Coronavirus remains a health risk. You should stay cautious to help protect yourself and others.

The Health & Safety of everyone who comes into contact with Bikes for Refugees (Scotland) is a priority at all times.

We continue to review our guidance and procedures on an ongoing basis in line with Scottish Government and Public Health guidance.

When visiting our community hubs please follow any Covid safety procedures.

Please consider taking a Lateral Flow Test (LFT) prior to visiting us.

If you are feeling unwell please follow health guidance and stay at home.

THANK YOU

We’re a Social Organisation

Deadline this Sunday 3rd Nov.

Working from a well equipped & fun workshop alongside other staff & volunteers, you will support the repair & distribution of bikes to New Scots refugees & asylum seekers, providing essential mobility &a

Link to GoodMoves & Recruitment Pack via our website www.bikesforrefugees.scot & Instagram bio.

Come work for a friendly supportive team providing refugees/asylum seekers with the gift of mobility & freedom of movement 🚴&zwj;♀️💞

enqui

WE ARE HIRING 🥳

Recruitment pack available on GoodMoves
Check our bio & website for direct links.

Help provide New Scots refugees with essential mobility and freedom of movement.

Project Worker/Mechanic (Glasgow)

Support us to provide essential mobility and freedom of movement for New Scots refugees and asylum seekers.

Recruitment Pack available via GoodMoves

Deadline Sun 3rd Nov

With an allowance of £7 a day for all daily living expenses that includes food, clothes, toiletries, nappies & toys etc. The cost of expensive public transport to access essential meetings and services is prohibitive.

Providing a bike can

Donate a bike today and support the resettlement and integration of asylum seekers & refugees.

Your bike can make a HUGE difference to people's daily lives.

Help us to support our 3000 refugee/asylum seeker through the gift of mobility & fr

www.bikesforrefugees.scot

Do you have a decent condition bike in the shed, garage that you no longer use that could provide essential mobility and freedom of movement to a refugee/asylum seeker.

A few weeks ago Scot Gov scrapped the plans for fre

As we welcome September and a new month we are reminded of the uncertainty of the past months for our New Scots community.

We were shocked and disappointed to see that the Scot Gov scrapped the free bus travel scheme for asylum seekers before it got