Access Bike

Access Bike is a youth space based at a community bike workshop where young people come together to build, repair and up-cycle old bikes.

The Access Bike Project aims to remove the financial barriers to owning and maintaining a bike. The project revolves around refurbishing donated bikes and selling them at affordable prices. We also provide free access to our workshop space, bike-stands, tools and mechanic support.

The project primarily supports young people aged 13 to 25 in a vibrant, inclusive, and supportive youth space. There is plenty of space for young people to find support with an idea, share skills and explore new interests alongside their peers. There are also opportunities for adults to engage with the project. 

“The atmosphere is great here, it’s always such a laugh. Nice people, good tunes, great bikes, what’s not to love!?” – Access Bike Participant

Opening Times

  • We open our youth space and workshop at Fromehall Mill to 13-25 year olds from 3-6pm five days a week – Monday to Friday. It’s free to attend, and young people can arrive and leave when they want between 3 and 6pm – you don’t have to be there for the full 3 hour session.
  • Every fortnight on a Monday event we offer people aged over 25 a chance to have their bike checked over and get an introduction to bike mechanics at our shopfront space at Creative Sustainability (10 John St in Stroud town centre). These sessions cost £5 to book and we ask for a donation of up to £25 per hour to help raise funds for the project.
  • We also offer an opportunity on Thursdays from 10.30-1.30pm for people aged 25 or over to volunteer at Fromehall Mill with us to fix up bikes for us to sell in our shopfront space at Creative Sustainability (10 John St in Stroud town centre). This helps raise funds for the project.

Go to bookwhen.com/accessbike for the latest calendar (there are 4 weeks a year when we aren’t open to the public) and to let us know you plan to attend – or to book and one of the sessions for adults.

Find us

Our workshop is located in Fromehall Mill off Cainscross Road. Click for a map or see one embedded below.

You can walk to cycle to the project along the canal path – heading West from Wallbridge in Stroud (about a 15 minute walk) or East from Lidl. It’s easiest to access us via the turning opposite the bridge over the canal at Lodgemore Lane – turn into the tarmaced space between the WSP redbrick factory and a row of cottages that begins with a tall cotswold stone building. If coming from Stroud you will turn left off the canal path and then immediately right to pass the cottages on your right and then the Millpond on your left, before reaching the Mill on the left. Our entrance is below the balcony that juts out of the Mill building. If you are coming from Stonehouse, you’d turn right, before turning right again to go back on yourself and pass the cottages and Millpond.

If you’re arriving by car, you can join Lodgemore lane from Cainscross Road – from Stroud it will be a sharp left turn (7pm on a clock) after passing Homebase and – just before the turn – the Christian Community. If approaching from Cainscross Roundabout, it will be a right turn (2pm on a clock), just after the Beards Lane traffic lights/pedestrian crossing. Drive down to the canal bridge and cross it and the canal path, and then immediately right to pass the cottages on your right and then the Millpond on your left, before reaching the Mill on the left. Our entrance is below the balcony that juts out of the Mill building.

There are also bus stops on Beards Lane.

What happens at Access Bike

Young people can:

  • ‘Earn a bike’ through volunteering to fix up bikes for others
  • Work on their own bikes
  • Learn bike mechanics
  • Explore building bikes and upcycling ideas from second-hand parts and scrap
  • Develop and maintain friendships
  • Access volunteering and work opportunities

Some people may need 1:1 support to fully take part at Access Bike. For this we can offer a mentoring programme, to be discussed based on the needs and preferences of each individual. Contact accessbike@cscic.org or call 07482 104038 to discuss.

Who is Access Bike for?

Access Bike is primarily for 13 – 25-year-olds. Many of our participants come to the workshop after school. We also support young people who are not in school for whatever reason – including home education and Alternative Provision Schools (such as Altus).

We offer a space that is supportive for all young people but with a focus on marginalised young people and those with barriers to participation: 

  • Disabled young people
  • Young people who are unemployed and not in education  
  • Young people who want support with their mental health 
  • Young people with autistic and neuro-diverse traits 
  • Young refugees and asylum seekers 
  • Young people at risk of negative influences and relationships 
  • Young people living in difficult family or housing situations 
  • Young people experiencing isolation and loneliness 
  • Young parents 

We are open to arranging sessions with groups of young people being supported by a particular school or other organisation. We have previously worked with Archway secondary school, school, The Shrubberies further education college, and Gloucestershire Action for Refugees and Asylum Seekers (GARAS) over the past few years.

Our GARAS sessions have provided a safe place for young refugees and asylum seekers living in Gloucester to come together, get out of the city, enjoy access to green spaces through cycling, and form friendships.

The Access Bike project can also provide bike checks and introductions to bike mechanics at locations away from our workshop for adults (see bookwhen.com/accessbike) or by arrangement. Get in touch to find out more.

You can donate bikes, your time, or money to us.

We are really grateful for offers of bikes as the project couldn’t function without donated bikes. However, we are limited on space and capacity so ask that you contact us with a picture of any bike(s) you want to donate (accessbike@cscic.org). We can then arrange a time for you to drop anything off at the workshop. We aren’t generally able to offer collections.

Please do not drop off any bikes by the workshop without contacting us first.

If you have mechanic skills or experience mentoring young people and would like to volunteer your time, get in touch.

We know that some amazing people don’t have the time or old bikes to give but still want to support the project. If that’s you, thank you and please use the donate button on our website to give as much as you can. We are also running a crowdfunder to support our work with young refugees and asylum seekers specifically.

We also have our very own bike shop where you can help fund the project by buying a refurbished bike. You may simply need a bike to get to school or work, or you may find the hi-spec racing bike of your dreams. Just pop in at Creative Sustainability at 10 John St in Stroud town centre – open on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 10am – 2pm.

Get in touch

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