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Welcome to Velo Vision magazine, covering specialised bikes, cycling as transport and human power. It's a quarterly dose of cycle inspiration.The current issue is Issue 12. The next issue is out early March 2004.
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Bikes-to-Africa charity forges aheadOver 1000 bikes shipped this year already, and a new office for Essex-based Re~cycle... This charity does a LOT of good work - and I think their latest newsletter deserves passing on in full: Re~Cycle Newsletter ~ Summer 2003 Hello friends of Re~Cycle, Time for an update on Re~Cycle activities. This year has seen some exciting developments at Re~Cycle; we have shipped to new destinations, appointed new Trustees and moved office ~ read on for more information. RECENT SHIPMENTS TO NEW DESTINATIONS So far this year Re~Cycle has shipped three containers of bikes to Africa, containing over 1,000 bikes along with spare parts, tools and equipment. Re~Cycle has added two new countries to its list, starting with a delivery to a German backed NGO called FABIO – First African Bike Information Organisation – based in Jinja, Uganda. The second container went to the town of Tema in Ghana to a group organised by the Village Bike Project in the USA. The latest container is on its way to Re~Cycle’s old friends in South Africa, Afribike. These bikes are going to Naletsana School in the Limpopo Province, where a workshop is being set up for students to learn to refurbish the bikes. The school is setting up a bicycle library; the kids will get to borrow the bikes but will pay a monthly fee so that the school can maintain the bicycle. This might be the first of its kind in the world!!! FUNDING Re~Cycle is constantly working on finding new sources of money to keep the Re~Cycle wheels turning. Many requests for bikes arrive from Africa, where they can make such a huge improvement to everyday lives; but running the charity costs money. Re~Cycle has been fortunate to receive Landfill Trust Transitional Funding for one year, but this possible ongoing source of funding was withdrawn at the last Budget. While this grant will help to fund some of the operations over the next year, it does not provide adequate funding for shipments to countries based further inland from the African coast; to reach Jinja, the ship must sail round the Cape to Mombassa, then the container taken overland through Kenya to Uganda. Re~Cycle is keen to form new partnerships in Africa, and send them much needed transport, but this cannot happen without your ongoing support. Just £10 could help pay for the transport of one bike to Africa where two main target groups are students and health workers. Your £10 could ship one bicycle to a health worker visiting villages to help in the fight against HIV/AIDS or a scholar who has a 9-mile journey to school. One important way you can help is GAYE – Give As You Earn (also known as Payroll Giving) is an easy and tax effective method for individuals to give to charity direct from their pay. The money is deducted before tax therefore someone giving £10 a month only contributes £7.60 from his or her pay. The Government gives a further 10% of the donation, and in most instances the employer adds to the donation. Alternatively, organising a sponsored event – maybe a bike ride – can not only provide us with extra funds but also tells more people about Re~Cycle. If you feel you can help us with fundraising in any way, PLEASE get in touch. NEW FRIENDS In April, Intel Corporation based in Swindon, held a bike charity week and collected over 100 bikes from employees and friends which they then delivered to Colchester, together with a donation ~ thank you everyone at Intel for your hard work getting this organised for us. This year Re~Cycle has two groups of ‘end-to-enders’ cycling to raise money. First off the mark was Bill Dodds from Newcastle – leaving Penzance on 27thMay and arriving John O’Groats on 18th June – unfortunately Bill had to break his trip twice to return home - first to Chair a Transport meeting and then attend a community event where he gave Re~Cycle lots of promotion! Next to leave was Ken Rickwood, from Colchester. A keen cyclist for over 50 years, Ken and his three friends set off from Lands End on June 18th and we have just received a postcard from Slaidburn. Lancs ~ half-way there!! Nicola Robinson, Fiona Stone and Graham Hyde from Warwickshire have just completed a 50km sponsored bike ride for Re~Cycle. Happy cycling guys and gals, and thank you for all your efforts! OLD FRIENDS
Many thanks go to the above and all the other supporters who have not been mentioned. NEW TRUSTEES Re~Cycle is pleased to announce the appointment of four new Trustees. Pam Nelson and Vic Prior are both from Colchester and long time supporters of Re~Cycle. Pam works in PR/Marketing while Vic is a local education officer. From London come Isobel Stoddart and Barry Mason. Barry is a keen cyclist and has had a long association with Greenwich Cyclists and has recently joined Southwark Cyclists. Isobel has worked for Sustrans so brings plenty of bicycle know-how with her. Re~Cycle welcomes you all and looks forward to your valuable input at future meetings. The current Chair, Gillie Johnson, will be handing over to Barry at the end of July, due to pressure of work. She has mentored merlin and Re~Cycle for the past few years, giving lots encouragement and sensible advice and has offered her ongoing support helping set up Patrons of Re~Cycle. Thank you Gillie for all your wonderful help getting Re~Cycle to the position it is in today. NEW OFFICE As part of 'growing up' it became time for Re~Cycle to move out of the front room and into its own premises, so last April Re~Cycle moved five minutes down the road into a little office overlooking the sea. It is very small but 'cosy' and if you are coming in this direction you are very welcome to pop in. The new address is: The Loft, 110 Coast Road, West Mersea, Essex CO5 8NA. There is also a new local rate telephone number for you to call: 0845 458 0 854 The e-mail is still [email protected] and website www.re-cycle.org. COLLECTING POINTS Colchester: the first Collection Hub, is going well, though in need of help to prepare the bikes for sipping. Re~Cycle recently held a collecting day outside Halfords store in Colchester and was given over 400 bikes – an amazing response. The store manager provided much needed refreshments and two of their young staff even joined in a Bike Week ‘fish and chip’ ride. Oxford: Dom at the Oxford Cycle Workshop, working with the County Council and the local amenity sites, has started collecting bikes!!! Donations are requested with bikes and other funding would be much appreciated. For more details see www.oxfordcycleworkshop.org.uk ~ Tel 01865 204 799 ~ 39 Magdalen Rd, Oxford. London: making some progress, both with storage and money, with the help of Barry Mason, Greenwich and Southwark Cyclists groups and London CRN, amongst others. Help needed! Bristol & Bath: coming along and there is a lot of interest there. An inaugural meeting was held in Bath on 3rd July – please contact Mark Forster tel: 01225 319353 or Pete Watkins Help needed in Bristol, please tell any contacts. If you can help with any of the above, please let us know. WISH LIST There are several items that Re~Cycle needs. Please get in touch if you can help out:
Any help that you can give;
MANY THANKS TO YOU ALL Big thanks go to you all for giving your time and donations. Without your support Re~Cycle could not continue. Have a lovely summer ~ get out on your bike and enjoy the sunshine With love and best wishes merlin and Sue And finally – a note received from Russell Baloyi, a Director of Afribike, after his visit to the UK in March this year. Dear Friends, I am writing this letter to express my appreciation and thank you for your hospitality during my recent visit to Re~Cycle in the United Kingdom. You made me feel at home away from home. I was quite impressed with the way you have organised yourself and I have really learnt a lot from the way you do things. Our meetings have really strengthened our relationship and I am really looking forward to our long lasting relations. Happy and congratulations for all the good work in helping us help our communities access to mobility and opportunities. The success of your work is more visible here in South Africa because more people are becoming mobile with each container of bikes you ship down. I really had good time in the UK. Should any of you come down to South Africa for any other business please let me know because I will be glad to also give some time. My heart felt sincere thanks to you all..... Russell Posted on 11 July 2003 Your comments ...
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