Story & photos: Vivien Urwodhi
Burngreave’s COMAC bicycle repair project first opened in Brambles Housing Cooperative on Andover Street. It stayed there for three years, and then moved to Ashram Café for nine months, now it has found a new home in the Burngreave Cemetery Chapel, where there is more room for making repairs.
The project has helped, and still helps, many people who have difficulties affording their own and public transport. The project is a place where local people can bring their bike, and access tools and knowledge to help them maintain or repair it.
It aims to encourage people to cycle more to work and others places, because riding a bicycle causes little harm to the environment and doesn’t create pollution, its also cheap and healthy.
One of the volunteers on the project, Jeff said,
“All the bicycles are free of charge to anyone who can use them, it is up to the person if they can donate some money to help the project.”
Jeff explained that bicycles are actually donated to the project,
“Some of them can’t be repaired but we can use them for spare parts.”.
Olli, another volunteer, said:
“I work with Pedal Ready and travel around colleges, schools and universities to advise people about riding safely on the road. I also teach them how to fix their own bicycles.”
Fred, also helping out on the day, told me he had always loved fixing bicycles since he was a little boy. He enjoys travelling long distances and would like to cycle from Sheffield to London.
“It would take about two days, there are many accessible roads for
cycling through England but you have to look them up on the map and plan the route.”
COMAC Bicycle repair project is at the Chapel open the first Wednesday of every month, 3-7pm and the 3rd Wednesday 3- 5pm, and is open to everyone.
If anybody has an old bike they would like to donate to the project, please get in touch on 07981 452 174.
COMAC is especially after men’s bikes.
