On Saturday December 3rd we are celebrating with our community. All our volunteers and supporters are invited to join us.
Together we have given out over 2000 bikes! We have opened a cool new workshop. And we want to farewell Tessa from her coordinator role.
Join us from 3pm – 5pm for a kids bike rodeo and workshop tours.
At 5pm we will be having the official opening and welcome.
From 5.30pm we will be serving kai (vegetarian/gluten-free options available – but please let us know if you have other requirements).
UPDATE: we’ve decided to postpone the hāngī as this requires a bit more certainty than we have this time of year (and with rising numbers of Covid cases again). We’ll still serve up some warm kai but no pre-orders are necessary.
If it rains, we may have to re-schedule or re-locate the open day. Updates will be posted on our facebook page .
Our new workshop We’re very excited to announce that we will soon be opening up shop at 46 Russell Terrace, Newtown. This is a site owned by SWIS who are super supportive of our mahi. Initially we’ll be sharing the site so access is limited to our opening hours – every Wednesday from 6.15-8pm. We hope to open in the next few months. Watch this space! Of course, the site still needs some work, including a new container workshop. We’re super grateful to Wellington City Council for today supporting our funding application. A big shout out to Councillor Laurie Foon for making some magic happen behind the scenes to get us across the line! We’ve still got a little way to go to fully fund this project so, please consider supporting our crowdfunding campaign by sharing or donating!
Ngā mihi A huge thanks from our team to Hopper Home who have hosted our workshop for close to six months. We’ll be there until at least mid-July. We’ve loved being so close to town and in such a vibrant space. Who knows what the future may hold, but we hope to continue supporting your events and mahi! We also want to thank the Raukawa Community Centre who have looked after our storage container and hosted some pop up fix ups. We love this community so much and you know we’re never far away!
E-bikey goodness with WCC More good news from todays Grant committee came in the form of an e-bike library and pilot grant. We will soon be the proud owners of two electric cargobikes with all the accessories a family might need, to lend out to people to trial. We want to make it easier for people to choose bikes, and for many families it’s the lack of opportunities to trial them rather than the cost which is a barrier. Also, did you know an e-bike only costs about $20 per year to charge?!? Yes, that’s per year! But we know not everyone can afford the upfront cost, so we’re also going to pilot an e-bike lease to buy scheme. It’ll only be a small scale pilot and we’ll have strict criteria for the first participants so please wait for us to finetune the details before asking for more info! A big shout out to Tania Cotidis (pictured on left above with Te Pahi Pahikara coordinator Aimee Geoghegan) for speaking at the grants committee meeting, and to the WCC Council Officers, Councillors and Greater Wellington/Pedal Ready for supporting this mahi.
Motuhenga fix ups and Free Ride bike skills Motuhenga Community Cycle Hub ran four more awesome learn to ride sessions in Waitangirua last month, supported by Abley. They also continue to hold weekly fix ups at the mall every Saturday from 1-4pm. Go along for good sounds, great chats and some bike tuning. Follow their mahi on Facebook Meanwhile, in Naenae Free Ride (Bike Box) is running whānau cycle skills sessions with Pedal Ready and funded by Hutt City Council. All ages and levels welcome. Sign up at bikebox.co.nz
We made a pretty book After six years of bikes bikes bikes… we thought it was time to sit back and celebrate what we’ve achieved and look at where we plan to go. Unfortunately COVID ruled out a big celebration – we’ll save that for when we hit 2000 bikes rehomed (hopefully before the end of the year)! Instead we put together a little booklet to reflect on our achievements and the impact our volunteers and donors have made. We’ve been lucky to support and work with some amazing people and hope to continue to do so in future. Download our booklet here. We also have a few printed copies, for those who prefer hard copies email us at info@rebicycle.nz It’s been quite special to reflect on what we’ve achieved from humble beginnings, and it makes us appreciate even more the many people who have been involved. We’ve tried to name you all but please accept our apologies if we’ve missed you! (And let us know – we can always update the digital version!)
ReBicycle EkeRua has an exciting new opportunity to join our team. Please share with anyone who may be interested.
Bike hub regional facilitator role available – contract for services
ReBicycle EkeRua is looking for a part-time contractor for our Climate Action Fund (CAF) partnership with USO Bike Ride and Greater Wellington.
The role will be approximately 10 hours per week for 50 weeks initially. Starting ASAP.
The facilitator would work with existing and aspiring bike hubs (libraries, workshops, any bike not-for-profit) to help coordinate and share resources better across the region. Tasks may include: sourcing sponsorship, funding, and bulk purchase deals, redistributing resources, social media, coordinating volunteers or helping set up new hubs.
They will also work with the Pedal Ready team and other partners to coordinate fix up events for the Bike Fix Up Van.
This role is about building relationships, identifying needs and problem solving.
About the CAF Bikes for Everyone project(s):
The overall aim is to improve access to safe working bikes for people around the region, with a focus on low income communities, to lower carbon emissions and improve transport resilience.
Other parts of the project include the Bike Fix up Van – which will aim to deliver 40 fix ups around the region annually and the Eastern Porirua Bike Hub which USO Bike Ride are leading on.
Rate will be $35-$40 per hour depending on experience
Email: info@rebicycle.nz for more info, to arrange a chat or to send in your cover letter and a simple CV/outline of your skills and experience.
Winter is a bit quieter on the bike demand side of things, so we’ve been busy rolling out our Climate Action Fund project and looking for new opportunities. All our updates and news below. Under Covid Alert levels 3 and 4 our workshop will be closed to volunteers and the public. Under level 2, please check our Facebook page for updates to our workshop hours and ways of working. Kia haumaru, e hoa mā! | Be safe friends!
Facilitator Role ReBicycle EkeRua has an exciting new opportunity to join our team.
Bike hub regional facilitator role available – contract for services ReBicycle EkeRua is looking for a part-time contractor for our Climate Action Fund (CAF) partnership with USO Bike Ride and Greater Wellington. The role will be approximately 10 hours per week for 50 weeks initially. Starting ASAP. The facilitator would work with existing and aspiring bike hubs (libraries, workshops, any bike not-for-profit) to help coordinate and share resources better across the region. More info here.
About the CAF Bikes for Everyone project(s):The overall aim is to improve access to safe working bikes for people around the region, with a focus on low income communities, to lower carbon emissions and improve transport resilience.Other parts of the project include the Bike Fix up Van – which will aim to deliver 40 fix ups around the region annually and the Eastern Porirua Bike Hub which USO Bike Ride are leading on.If you’re interested in this role, please tell us a bit about yourself.
Our Bike Fix up Van is (almost) go! Later this week – all going well – we will pick up our brand new electric van! Funded by Wellington Community Trust, this will enable us to significantly lower our emissions. The irony of a bike charity needing to drive is not lost on us! Already Tessa does as many pick ups and deliveries as possible with her cargobike and trailer combo, but when we’re picking up 8 bikes from Karori, or dropping off half a dozen in the Hutt Valley, a car is sometimes the best option. Teaser: we’ll be running a drawing competition for the kids to help make our van beautiful and keep an eye on our facebook page for a request for name ideas! Apparently Vanny McVanFace is not original enough!
A massive thank you and E noho ra! After 4 amazing years of being given use of the space on Riddiford St, it is time for us to move on. We have some interesting possible collaborations on the go, but please do let us know if you have a space which Mechanical Tempest or ReBicycle EkeRua may be able to use in the short term.We want to extend a massive thank you to the owners, whose generosity has enabled us to grow and achieve so much over the past few years. And also to Newtown Festival for putting it all together and continuing to support us. Ngā mihi nui!
Bikes bikes bikes Winter has been slightly quieter but we’re still receiving, fixing up and re-homing a steady stream of bikes. Donations of time, parts, funds and bikes are always welcome. Our container is currently very full so if you can take a few bikes home to fix up, let us know.
After a winter holiday in Naenae, the portable pump track is back at St Anthony’s in Seatoun. Next term we’re hoping to find a spot at Newtown School for it. If you have connections with a Wellington school (preferably Eastern Suburbs) who may be interested, get in touch.
Until the end of October, our workshop is open Wednesdays, from 6-8pm. 234 Riddiford St, Newtown.
Thanks again to all our amazing volunteers for a hard years work!We celebrated once again with our annual Matariki potluck dinner. Yum!
We’ve got two big announcements to make. Neither of these would be possible without our incredible coordinator, Tessa, and the support of our ReBicycle EkeRua whānau, donors, volunteers and supporters. So firstly we’d like to thank you all for helping us build this little project into something quite special!
On the Go Supreme Award winners. We were very excited and humbled to be awarded the Community award, for outstanding contribution to making communities more people-friendly, at the biannual 2Walk and Cycle conference. And then completely blown away to also be awarded the Supreme Award, “for their energy and innovation into making active travel a safer and more attractive transport choice for people”. This is an awesome recognition for our whole team, as it truly is a team effort, and we are incredibly grateful to have so many generous and talented people join us on this important mahi.
Wellington Community Trust climate fund. Our second bit of news is even more exciting! On Friday we got the very exciting news that our application to WCTs new climate fund has been accepted! This signals a massive step forward for us and our bike library/workshop friends around the region.
Our proposal had three parts to it: 1. Creating a facilitator role, who can help the various libraries and workshops share resources, reach more people, and help create sponsorship opportunities for funding parts and other essentials items. 2. Supporting USO Bike Ride to build a bike hub and cycling culture in Eastern Porirua. 3. Funding an electric “fix up” van and part-time mechanic to run bike fix ups at schools and events around the region.
We hope these projects are going to be a game changer at making cycling a more accessible and acceptable mode of transport, and building resilience in our lower income communities.
Again, it’s very humbling that we’ve been entrusted with this role. We’re very excited to be working with USO Bike Ride and Greater Wellington over the next three years to make these ideas a reality.
Business as usual. Of course, our workshop has been busy as usual, in the capable hands of Tessa and our new coordinator, Emma, who is helping us out during the busy summer season. We’ve fixed up and re-homed almost 100 bikes already this year, with 39 going out during March alone! And since starting this journey, almost 2000 bikes have been donated to us by the generous people of Wellington! Our bike rodeo has been very busy over summer, attending events in Featherston, Upper Hutt and at schools around Wellington. We’re working more closely with the Pedal Ready cycle skills team to ensure these events have the best possible instructors available to challenge and create fun for tamariki. The portable pump track has been incredibly popular at Kahurangi School, and the tamariki at Holy Cross and Newtown schools are looking forward to it coming there way later this year. As always, our workshop is open Wednesdays, from 6-8pm. 234 Riddiford St, Newtown.
Haere mai, nau mai! Kia ora koutou katoa, We hope our final newsletter of 2020 finds you looking forward to a well-deserved holiday/rest! It’s been a big year for everyone with plenty of challenges along the way. Despite this, we’ve been blessed with a wide range of support, and we were able to add a pump track and e-cargobike to our fleet, as well as continue the dirty work of fixing up bikes. We want to send out our heartfelt thanks to all of you, for your āwhina (support), your mahi (work), your aroha (love), and your koha (donations).
Ma tini ma mano ka rapa te whai. By many, by thousands, the work (project) will be accomplished.
Meri Kirihimete me Ngā Mihi o te Tau Hou! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Where the bikes are at Our container is very full at the moment with a generous amount of bikes being donated recently. If anyone is keen to take a few home to work on in their spare time, give us a shout! But more importantly we’ve now given out 1240 bikes in total (that we’ve counted), with 332 going out so far this year (and a few more going out still this week). We’re not far off last years total of 388 which, all things considered (see April on the graph above!), is pretty amazing!
Women’s learner riders celebrate To celebrate our second year of working with Pedal Ready on the Women’s Learn to Ride workshops, Tessa led a small group of intrepid learners, instructors and volunteers on a scenic ride around Cobham Drive and Miramar Peninsula on Saturday. Pedal Ready has already booked in some times to continue these workshops next year. Visit https://www.pedalready.org.nz/events to book or email info@pedalready.org.nz to volunteer. If you know of other groups of people who may be nervous about riding but keen to learn, please let us know!
The portable pump track is on the move The portable pump track has had a great time at St Anthony’s and Lyall Bay School. We’re told it is already missed by the students there! Thanks to the support of Upper Hutt City Council’s Activation team, the track will spend the summer holidays at Upper Hutt School. They are kindly offering to pay for four moves (including the two out there and back) which reduces our costs and means we won’t have to start charging schools for its use any time soon. Thank UHCC! This track was funded for the Eastern suburbs schools in Wellington but we’re keen to see more of them around the region. We’re also fundraising for bikes and scooters to go with the track. Every dollar helps!
Workshop hours and Covid operation Tonight is our last fix up of the year. We will have some shared kai at the end of the evening to celebrate a big year. We will be back on the 20th of January.
Our workshop has been back in post-Covid normal operation under Level 2 and level 1. There’s QR codes and sign in sheets for those who continue to keep track of their movements and hand washing facilities on sight. We are open from 6-8pm every Wednesday and welcome any volunteers who want to help out, either fixing bikes or with logistics (e.g. labelling bikes, helping clients, entertaining kids, etc.). Ask for Tessa, Leah or Hils.
We need your help! Can you spare an hour a month? Time is precious and we know not everyone has time to spare but could you spare an hours pay? 2020 has been a rough year for most of us. And we’re seeing more people struggling. Many families have lost income and are trying to save money on transport costs. We continue to do our best to provide those in need with a good working bike. To be sustainable we need a few more regular donors. For only $20-50 a month you can help keep our awesome little project rolling. Read more here and please share if you’re not in a position to give right now.
Other ways you can help There’s a number of ways you can help. We’re currently focusing on our core business of getting bikes to people who need them, so these are the best ways to help: Volunteer – We can only give out bikes that have been fixed up and checked. We also need help at fix ups managing donations and giving out bikes, doing admin and occasionally with pick ups or deliveries. Please get in touch if you have spare time or can help in some way. One off donations – $7-$70: buys one to ten sets of lights to give to people who are commuting by bike. These are rechargeable LEDS that exceed the legal requirements and last about 10 hours on a charge. $30-40: pays for a qualified Pedal Ready instructor to give an hour long one on one lesson to a new rider or group. Donations of bikes, tools, spare parts (usable) and time! You can donate directly to our account (no fees charged): Account name: RE-BICYCLE CHARITABLE TRUST Account number: 38-9018-0109320-00 Or via Give a Little (some fees but less admin as they email you a receipt directly) All donations are gratefully accepted. For tax receipts (we’re a registered charity so they are tax deductible) please email us with your details.
One of the first deliveries ReBicycle EkeRua made to celebrate its reopening from the national lockdown was also one of the largest ever made to one family.
Six members of one family – Myint Khing, Htoo Lwee, Phyin Eit Eit, Ngae Ngae, Khing Lay Hytoo and Lwee Myint Htoo – were given a free, reconditioned, recycled bike.
The smiling family (pictured), who live in Porirua, came as refugees from Myanmar to Aotearoa five years ago.
“This is what ReBicycle EkeRua is all about – helping families improve their lives, get out on bikes, and have fun,” ReBicycle EkeRua co-ordinator Tessa Coppard said.
“The lockdown has taught everyone the importance of biking for multiple reasons – fun, family time, exercise, health and transport. “
Myint Khing said the family would use the bikes for recreation, visiting relatives and friends, and going to school.
ReBicycle EkeRua reopened its workshop for fixing donated bikes with the move to Level 2 under restrictions and with a strict safety plan.
Tessa says that with a good prospect of Aotearoa moving to Level 1 soon, the workshop will hopefully again be open to all-comers.
“It’s great we are already back to renovating bikes and getting them out to families who need them, so they can enjoy the same kind of fun many of us have had during the lockdown.”
Learn to ride and improve confidence, learn road rules and practise basic bike maintenance with qualified women instructors from Pedal Ready and WACC (Workshops for Accessible Cycle Care)
These workshops are for women from a migrant, former refugee or low-income background, (and their friends!).
Wellington charity ReBicycle EkeRua is quietly celebrating this week after it received the 1000th donated bike since the project started in 2016. Of those about 650 have been fixed up and given to former refugees, migrants and others in the community, while about 30 are part of the ‘bike library’ which is leant to adults trying bike commuting, students doing cycle skills or for family events.
The Newtown bike workshop, located at 230 Riddiford St (the old petrol station) has had a stunning year since the doors opened at the beginning of 2018. Mechanical Tempest and ReBicycle EkeRua share the workshop space which is generously provided rent-free by the owners.
Mechanical Tempest is a volunteer-run community bike workshop. The site in Newtown has given them the opportunity to help hundreds of people from all over the region gain bicycle maintenance skills and get their bikes road-ready.The workshop has been consistently busy all year with four open evenings each week.
SWIS students Hilary and Helen with their new bikes
ReBicycle EkeRua has also had a busy year, running over 60 fix up events at the workshop and a dozen kids bike rodeo and family events around the Wellington region.
Coordinator Tessa Coppard says, “The rodeo events are a great opportunity for us to connect with the community and help kids to improve their cycling skills while checking their bikes are safe. We often see those same children in schools when we drop off our library bikes to support cycle skills training or out and about on bikes that we’ve given them. It’s great to see the independence and confidence it gives them”.
Tessa added that “Everything we do is made possible by our generous supporters and an awesome team of volunteers”. Helmets are donated by the Wellington City Council, to those who need them and locks or accessories are bought with proceeds from bike sales or donations.
Last year ReBicycle added EkeRua to their name; this name was given to them by Dr Vini Olsen-Reeder and means ‘to jump on a bike again’.
“We’re incredibly grateful for this name and feel it reflects our kaupapa perfectly” says trustee, Mike Townsend. “Eke can also mean to achieve or overcome, and that’s certainly what we see when people come in and learn to fix their own bikes, or kids learn to ride, or former refugees have been given a bike to help them go to courses or work”.
Together the two organisations want to thank the owners of the site, and also Wellington City Council and all the community groups who have collaborated on events for all their support this year.
This summer we’re very lucky to have received funding from Wellington Community Trust to run a series of family bike events. The summer series will include our Bike KREW Rodeo (children’s skills/obstacle course with a range bikes and helmets provided) as well as providing mechanics to help fix up or check everyone’s bikes.
Some of the dates and locations are still to be confirmed but this is what we’re currently looking at:
Nov 24th, 12-2pm – Waitangirua @ Natone Park School
Dec 8th, 12-3pm – Strathmore Christmas in the Park
Jan 23rd, 2-4pm – Naenae Clubhouse Bike Box
Saturday Feb 16th, 1-4pm – Linden Social Centre Open Day
Friday Mar 1st, 3-5pm – pre Weetbix Tryathlon event – Lyall Bay School
Sunday Mar 3rd, 11ish-4pm-ish – Newtown Festival Fair Day, Gordon Place (behind the workshop at 230 Riddiford Rd)
Sunday Mar 10th (rain day 17th), 1pm-4pm – Newtown Festival at Carrara Park
Thanks again to all our amazing volunteers for a hard years work!
We celebrated once again with our annual Matariki potluck dinner. Yum!
Learn to ride and improve confidence, learn road rules and practise basic bike maintenance with qualified women instructors from 
EkeRua ReBicycle 