Loading 15 contains the 5000th bike
28 Oct
Today was a day of celebration for jole rider, the team, its friends and supporters. The 5000th bike being sent to Africa was loaded today.
Every time we do this we find a way of squeezing more bikes into the container. This time broke the 400 bike barrier and then tucked a few thousand tyres, tools, pens and books in just for fun.
You can watch a time lapse of the whole event by clicking here or see some of the stunning photos taken during the day here.
Thank you so much to Chris, Tarol, Stephen, Ian, Ray, Mark, Sian, Steve, Tim, Vicky, J, Sim, Justin, David, Hugh, Keith, Saidie, Hadley, Heidi, Sam, Nick, Martin, Briony, John, Gillian, Sue, Patrick, and so many more who helped to make this day the success that it was.
Please call us on 0870 609 2007 if you would like to donate a bike or even help at the next loading. We would love to see you there. I promise it will make your day as it does mine every time I do this.
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We're Happy!
20 Oct
We’re happy! The Criminal Justice System have awarded us a grant.
Young People – Fresh Choices is a jole rider pilot project to reduce crime in Wiltshire, by working with teenagers excluded from school.
We’ll train the young people to refurbish bicycles which will go to African schools, and they’ll also be involved in creating exhibitions - so the whole community can see how this project has changed their attitudes.
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The Story of a Langster no247
13 Sep
Who remembers the Langster road bike we ran a draw for earlier this year?
The bike is a beautiful, fixed wheel, Specialized “London” limited edition headturner , as you can see.
It was donated to jole rider by Daniel in Wiltshire [the second of two lovely bikes].
Well, the bike was won by Nigel in Bristol. Nigel, though, determined that the bike was better off with someone keener, fitter and possibly younger, given the hilly nature of the roads in and around Bristol.
Harald, of London [appropriately], is now the proud new owner of the Langster, but only after being beaten in the ebay bidding for it by…can you believe, his own wife, who secretly wanted to make a present of it for her loving husband. Isn’t love fantastic!
Apparently, Harald had been drooling over this bike on ebay throughout the bidding, and who wouldn’t!
We think the bike couldn’t have been sold or bought by nicer people.
Nigel made a donation to jole rider out of the proceeds.
I wonder if we will hear what happens to the bike next? ??
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Loading 14
26 Aug
Today the jole rider team and friends loaded the 14th shipping container bound for West Africa. In 3 hours we packed the 40ft box with over 360 bikes, 1000 brand new tyres, desks, chairs, books and 50,000 pens. Having been lent a sound system with speakers the size of fridges, this was the first loading we've ever done to music (it was more like a night club if I'm honest).
We were honoured to not only have the help of 5 members of Six Acres, who support adults with learning difficulties, but also to receive 15 bikes which they themselves had refurbished.
Gillian and Sue have a habit of cooking hotdogs whilst we're all busy loading and then holding them hostage until the work is done.
It is always a proud moment when the container doors are closed, You know the next time they are opened, it will be infront of a crowd of smiling African faces.
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bikes4Africa Day - Tesco Extra, Cirencester
02 Aug 09
On Sunday many of the jole rider team were busy tinkering with bikes at our monthly Spanners Day. Helen and David were at Tesco Extra in Cirencester collecting even more bikes which will be given a new lease of life in West Africa for secondary school children living too far from school to walk. With David putting the word out on local radio beforehand, a number of bikes, and of course donations, were gratefully received. This included a beautiful red adult trike which the owner is happy for us to sell. We will be offering it for sale at the jole rider bike shop very soon.
We would like to thank everyone who contributed to yet another successful bike collection in partnership with Tesco. Particular thanks to James Maxwell (Manager) and Dave (Security) who looked after us during the day. Details of our next bikes4Africa day will be available shortly. Our bike stock is growing again!
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Let's Get Moving!
30 Jul 09
On a very wet Thursday morning in Wales a huge bicycle move was taking place to replenish jole rider's rather diminished (none) bike stocks. Pip (a member of the jole rider team) left home at 05:30 in the morning to meet Gary from W F Hall Transport at Bluestone Leisure in Pembrokeshire.
The aim was to load over 400 ex hire bikes and deliver them to the jole rider bike station at Hullavington, Wiltshire. W F Hall who are extremely supportive of the bikes4Africa programme provided a 45ft shipping container, truck and willing driver, Gary.
Once all 434 bikes were loaded and transported to our bike station, another group of volunteers were ready and waiting to unload. After two hours, a lot of sweat and grunting, some swearing, bruises, pulling, lifting, hoicking, levering, more swearing and a little blood our bike stocks were 434 bikes better off.
The unloading team - Bill, Martin, John, Gary, Chris, Christian, Helen, David and Pip all looked absolutely shattered (as the photos to the right show) when the job was complete.
Thank you to everyone who made this move possible, especially Gary and W F Hall.
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Listen to the Spokesman...
30 Jul 09
Anthony 'AJ' Raybould is another one of jole rider's finest volunteers. They don't come more commited than this. AJ took a day out of the family holiday to help load these bikes! Click on the video to the right to hear what AJ has to say on the matter. Thank you Amanda for standing around in the cold and wet with the children whilst AJ and others got these bikes away. We gather the free ticket to Blue Lagoon went down really well with the kids after. Fantastic!
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