The Green Community Award, Reading Bike Kitchen, sponsor Tomato Energy
A not-for-profit Community Interest Company (CIC) run entirely by volunteers has a mission to empower the Reading community by ensuring that cycling is accessible to all.
They achieve this by providing low-cost bicycle repairs, in addition to bicycle rehoming and bicycle maintenance sessions, said Reading Bike Kitchen’s nominator for The Green Community Award.
For more than 10 years, RBK has recommissioned and sold hundreds of donated bicycles, providing new life into what might otherwise be discarded,” they added.
They “welcome bicycles in all conditions, recognising that even the bicycles unfit for cycling still hold value.”
Skilled volunteers salvage and repurpose components from tyres to chains, brakes to saddles, a practice which supports the thousands of bicycle repairs they perform annually and keeps costs at a minimum for customers.
They also host free bicycle maintenance sessions to give people the knowledge and confidence to maintain their own bicycle.
Being able to carry out safety checks and repair punctures will ensure safe cycling and the longevity of your bicycle, say the company. Their efforts have not only saved countless resources but have also nurtured a more environmentally conscious community, said the nominator, who added they were determined to continue fostering a culture of active transportation in Reading, one bicycle at a time.
The Green Community Award is sponsored by Tomato Energy.
