BBC interview - 1st July

I was interviewed on "Mid morning on BBC Essex", you can listen online, here - the Re~Cycle section starts at 2:30:25

Film about Re~Cycle premiers in New York, with plaudit from Matthew Modine - 21st June

Matthew Modine supports the launch of a short film showing how unwanted bicycles can transform the lives of people in developing countries.

'Re~Cycle - The Journey of the Mighty Bike' shows how bikes are collected and prepared by Re~Cycle volunteers in the UK, and the impact they have in Africa. The film focuses on Ability Bikes in Ghana, a bicycle co-op run by disabled staff.        

Award-winning actor Matthew Modine (Full Metal Jacket, Memphis Belle, The West Wing, Sex and Lies in Sin City) is a keen cyclist and founder of Bicycle For A Day (BFAD).  He is a big fan of Re~Cycle the charity that for 10 years, has collected second-hand bikes, parts and tools in the UK and shipped them to African countries.  There local partners teach people how to repair and maintain the bikes, helping them to improve their lives in a sustainable way.

Modine said:
“BFAD supports the efforts of Re~Cycle because it puts bikes within the reach of people that have no access to bicycles.  Re~Cycle empowers individuals and offers them the possibility to learn how to rebuild bikes. Everybody wins: from the bike donors to the recipients whose lives are transformed upon receiving the gift.”

He added:
"Bicycling is one thing that most of us can do that has an immediate positive impact on the environment.   Encouraging people to pedal bikes instead of using a petroleum powered vehicles is one of the goals of Bicycle for a Day/everyday.  Bikes make people smile and the world can use a lot more of that!"

The Bicycle Film Festival hosted the premiere of Re~Cycle’s short film, "Re~Cycle - The Journey of the Mighty Bike".  The festival and film will tour the world, appearing in 39 cities.  Re~Cycle is looking for other film festivals and avenues to promote the film (please contact us if you have any suggestions). The film will later be available to view on its website.

In 2009 the BFF will be in London in September, 23rd  - 27th, volunteers needed to help with valet bicycle parking and selling raffle tickets.

TfL Ride a Big Success - 6th June

A Huge Thanks to the brave Transport for London (TfL) riders who not only cycled from London to Canterbury, but took some detours to climb 4 hills, and thereby follow the Tour de France route - not for the faint hearted.

All the riders finished, an inspiring effort!  Thanks also to the support team for food and water, and for Adrian for mechanical assistance.

Total donations so far, from the ride, party, raffle, dress down days, film night (these people are amazing!) is £10,500, and still coming in!

I've put up a section on our How To to help other people who might like to ride this route, here (more thanks, for preparing these quality documents)

Re~Cycle Ships bike number 30,000! To new partner in Zambia! 20th May 2009

A landmark bike number 30,000 was shipped to a new project in Zambia.  They have a volunteer going out for 3 months to train mechanics and set up 2 workshops.  Photos

The bike was donated by Trevor Moles of Colchester.  It belonged to his wife's Aunt who sadly broke her hip and is no longer able to ride, but wanted her bike to be given to someone in Africa.

You can join our FaceBook group, if you're into that sort of thing.

TfL Music and Comedy Night - London, Tuesday 26th May

Transport for London (TfL) are doing a sponsored ride for Re~Cycle.  They put on a GREAT event, many thanks to Sofie Ward for organising it and thanks to all the amazing bands and comedy acts, raising £741.  Details HERE and some photos HERE.

TfL are riding the first leg of the Tour de France, from London to Canterbury, on 6th June, to raise money for Re~Cycle, for which we thank them.

There's a TfL raffle, prizes including; a nice racing bike, Eurostar tickets to Paris, beauty product hamper.  Tickets from HERE.

Disney Up Ride - 8th May

25 splendid Disney employees are doing a sponsored bike ride in Italy to raise money for Re~Cycle.

The Up Ride will start at sea-level on Friday May 8, close to Roma, and ascend northwards to finish in Tuscany on Sunday May 10, in the beautiful city of Montalcino at an altitude of 1,000 metres.

Big Thanks to all of them from all of us at Re~Cycle, and our African partners.

The Up Ride web site

The Up Ride's Facebook page

World Malaria Day - April 25th

Today is World Malaria Day.  Malaria is a preventable disease, yet it kills at least one million people worldwide every year and is Uganda's biggest child killer

Re~Cycle's partners in Africa are involved with reducing malaria, eg. with Nurses delivering mosquito nets in Ghana - here

This is an issue close to my (Merlin, Re~Cycle's founder) heart, as I  got a very bad case of cerebral (P. falciparum) malaria in 2000, while in Ghana running a training course for the World Bank.  Got back to the UK before it really kicked in, 9 day coma, down to 10% chance of living, very frightened parents, while I was asleep...  Thankfully all OK, and non-recurrent

Voluntours and the local community go Bike Crazy (new partner in South Africa) - 17th December

We've just received a newsletter from Voluntours and am delighted that their bike project has hit the ground with wheels turning! Trailers to Ambulances - Locally designed and manufactured bicycle trailers are empowering small business owners to grow their market. Read more "Olympic" Cycle Track - The opening of our rural cycle track coincided with the opening ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Read more Mountain Bike Challenge - Voluntours sponsored 5 cyclists from the community to ride Johannesburg's biggest mountain bike race on 15 November. Read more

20th World Aids Day - 1st December

Re~Cycle, through some of its partners, is helping to reduce the spread of AIDS/HIV, and treating those people with the condition. BEN Namibia has this as one of its key focus areas, and we salute them. http://re-cycle.org/partners