Up-Cycles Charitable Trust will spend 2024 further developing bike education programmes that can be delivered across Otago and Southland.

Founder and project director Chris Foggin said achieving charitable status in October 2023 meant they could now apply for funding and attract organisations to assist in its development goals.

“It’s not just only about refurbishing old bikes (our main purpose), but also the delivery and education and sustainable transport programmes, organising events and generally lifting wellbeing through cycling,” he said.

In 2023 Upcycles gifted 41 bikes around the Central Otago community, of which half were adults and half children.

It had 76 bikes donated from the wider community across Otago and Southland, and also sold a further 21 further bikes for a low price to raise some initial funds for the charity.

When H&J Smiths Invercargill recently closed, the CEO John Green contacted Upcycles and donated thousands of dollars worth of new parts and accessories.

Over the next 12 months Chris will be exploring how he can engage with more volunteers, expand the project and look for a better space to operate from.

The Up-Cycles project aims to close the gaps between the strong tourism cycling market in Central Otago and those in the community that might need a hand up to get into biking.

He’s been working closely with Oranga Tamariki, Salvation Army, Presbyterian Support Otago, Pasifika Central Otago, Comcol Southern, ADLNZ and Foster Hope-Otago and schools.

The cycle education programmes being developed include:

1. Cycle Trail Ambassador (CTA) courses.

2. Waka Kotahi (NZTA) BikeReady programme.

3. Cycle safety and skills education.

4. Community Bike Leader training - which includes leadership for rangatahi.

5. Promoting active sustainable transport and waste reduction.

6. The transfer of skills i.e. teaching people how to look after their bikes or creating interest in working in the bike industry.

“This has all happened in less than 12 months with one operational project manager and two ‘silent’ governance trustees, and all based from a shipping container,” Chris said.