One for One: Gaskell Bike Project
About:
The Gaskell Bike Project, is a collaboration between the Gaskell Garden Project and RAPAR. During the bonfire on the 5th of November, bikes, bike parts, helmets, etc. were collected. Therefore then, for any two bikes one goes to Calais and one stays in Manchester. These bikes are being provided for refugees in both these places as being able to move around is vital to do one's everyday businesses.
'The Gaskell Garden Bike Project, in association with RAPAR aims to combat social isolation, increase access to services and provide a platform for social interaction for local refugee and asylum seekers through a series of bike workshops. Plattfields Bike Hub will open its doors every Saturday 11 to 5pm where we welcome refugees and asylum seekers to come learn how to fix your own bike which can be taken home to keep. For every bike fixed, one will be sent to Calais.' |
News:
31/11/2015 Quotes from the One for One: Gaskell Bike Project on Saturday the 31st
Bike project Dave aged 32 living in Whalley range is a member of the bike club that has offered the space to the project. Platt fields bike club Chris peet aged 32 from Gaskell garden project. A cyclist understands that it is great way to get people out there and moving around - we need to open up more the whole world needs to move around wherever they need to be and we need to work out how to make that work. Jade aged 29 got involved in garden project and am learning a lot - really good thing up do on so many levels - people in manchester refugees in calais and the environment Levi from Zimbabwe over 50 I like to help other people currently in the process of claiming asylum Christian aged 24 I have two old bikes and want to put them to a good purpose - do a little favour for somewhere - I want to see a refugee from calais riding one of my bikes to Manchester 25/11/2015 North-West Delegation heading to Calais on 13th December 2015
As the weather grows colder and the conditions on the camp remain very dangerous to its residents, the imperative to secure the safety of the 5000 plus people who have fled into Europe and who are camped in Calais, including families with children, becomes more and more acute (French court orders government to implement improvements). Our contributions towards ensuring that they can become safe, avoid death and reach their destination "the UK" where they have actual connections of one from or another, which is why they are camped out in Calais in the first place) - has to include highlighting their conditions (see Doctors of the World report here) and calling upon our own government to enable their entry. This situation is even more pressing “ and complex“ since the events in Paris. RAPAR's One for One Bike Project (see below), will be taking a van load of bikes to Calais on the 13th December so that people can get into Calais town as they need to from the camp which is two miles away. We are also organising a delegation that represents people in the North-West of England who say "Not in our Name, the refugee people in Calais must become safe." |