How LGA Foundation Funding Is Helping Recyke Y’Bike Empower Young People Through Cycling

“Some people work better with a pen, some people with their hands – We’re giving kids the chance to see where they thrive.”

LGA Foundation spoke with Fran Welsh, Community Engagement Coordinator at Recyke Y’Bike. The impact of this Newcastle-based charity goes far beyond recycled bikes.

Thanks to funding from the LGA Foundation, Recyke Y’Bike has spent the last two years expanding its work within schools. Helping young people to develop skills, confidence, and independence.

Founded in 2006, Recyke Y’Bike takes in donated bikes, repairs them, and redistributes them. Over time, the team noticed that bikes were more than just transport—they were tools for learning and growth. The LGA Foundation’s support has been vital in formalising and expanding the charity’s schools outreach, particularly in areas like Byker, where child poverty affects nearly half of all children.

At Byker Primary School, just next door to Recyke Y’Bike’s main site, staff run a weekly bike club every Thursday. The children learn mechanics, get hands-on with tools, and build skills that stick with them.

LGA funding also enabled the team to work with Silverdale School in Wallsend, a specialist setting for students who’ve struggled in mainstream education. Fran described one standout moment, when a teacher said she’d never seen a particular student focus so intently—until he started working on bikes.

This ability to engage young people who may not excel in traditional classroom settings is central to Recyke Y’Bike’s mission. Mechanical tasks like changing a puncture offer instant, tangible success. This feeling of elation and pride can be transformative to children.

When Recyke Y’Bike receives donated adult sized bikes, they donate wherever possible and run a referral scheme for families facing financial hardship. At one recent “Doctor Bike” session, over 30 children had their bikes fixed in one day. Last Christmas, the charity donated 15 bikes to Byker Primary alone.

LGA’s support has helped to build new relationships with schools and aided the development their youth engagement.

For more information on Recyke Y’Bike: https://www.recyke.bike/