Daniel Morris puts the spotlight on Shropshire Cycle Hub which has renovated more than 2,500 bicycles and allows volunteers to support local communities.
In the environmentally-conscious age in which we live, charity organisations are doing more than ever before to help reduce our carbon footprint. With this, one particular initiative in our county is doing more than putting its best foot forward – it’s putting both feet on the pedals and riding like the wind.
Shropshire Cycle Hub (SCH) was established in 2020 and is committed to creating a healthier, more sustainable and more connected Shropshire.
Its mission is to build a cycling-friendly county through advocacy, resources and inclusive programmes that support active lifestyles and environmental sustainability.
The SCH collects, repairs and distributes donated bikes. The charity also works to promote cycling as a form of sustainable transport and healthy recreation. Those who are less able to cycle independently are supported by the hub, and a wealth of workshops and skills programmes are delivered by volunteers across the county.
In the last five years, Shropshire Cycle Hub has provided over 1,000 bicycles to people in Shropshire who need sustainable transport.
Over 2,500 bicycles have been renovated, repaired, re-used or recycled thanks to the hub, and over 500 bikes have been serviced free of charge for those in need.
In the last year, 204 bicycles have been collected and repaired, and proceeds from sales have been reinvested into the hub’s charity objectives.
Chair of Shropshire Cycle Hub, Mark Fermor, said: “Our Dr Bike events help get bikes back on the road and enable more healthy lifestyles. SCH run these events where we provide free check-ups and repairs.
“Many bikes are lost from use due to minor servicing issues and our events deliver significant community benefits.
“As well as for public benefit in community centres and at our hubs, we also provide events for community groups such as Scouts, WI, recycling centres and for a range of community charities and events.
“SCH-led Bike Buddy events enable us to advise on safe ways to use bikes for cycling to work, school runs, shopping and general confidence building.”
Shropshire Cycle Hub prides itself on leading journeys with a purpose using its rickshaws to help local people reconnect with their community and benefit from sustainable transport around Shropshire’s towns. The hub has also provided a free ‘hail a ride’ service in partnership with Shrewsbury BID and Shrewsbury Town Council.
“During lockdown, we bought four lovely rickshaws from Copenhagen and these are obviously a very sustainable local transport option,” said Mark. “We were doing a sort of ‘hop on – take you anywhere’ service, working with the town ambassadors in Shrewsbury.
“We’re doing a bit more now, looking to do things working with care homes, and giving people the chance to have a journey out when they might be quite isolated and stuck indoors.
“It’s a lovely thing to do and it gives people a real sense of reconnecting with their local community. We love doing it. It’s a great feeling of satisfaction being able to help people in that way.”
A large part of the SCH’s mission is to advocate for greener, low-impact transport across Shropshire, and in this it has partnered with two of Shropshire’s most popular markets to help shoppers cut down on their carbon emissions.
“Shropshire Cycle Hub has been providing a free delivery service for goods purchased in Shrewsbury and Wellington markets,” said Mark. “In 2025, over 450 deliveries were made from Shrewsbury Market by 14 volunteers covering a distance of 1,200 miles. 1,237 deliveries were made from Wellington Market with 15 volunteers covering a distance of 2,468 miles.
“In Shrewsbury we’re also extending our service to deliveries from anywhere within the river loop.”
Shropshire Cycle Hub maintains ongoing dialogue with local authorities and a range of stakeholder groups in Shropshire, and now exists as a strong voice advocating for active travel across the county by working in partnership with Shropshire Council, Shrewsbury Town Council, Wellington Town Council, Oswestry Town Council and the Shrewsbury and Oswestry Business Improvement Districts.
“We were honoured to receive the Climate Change Category at Mayor’s Awards 2022,” said Mark. “This is testament to our voice advocating for a sustainable future.”
Personal stories have been indicative of the positive impact that Shropshire Cycle Hub is having on the local community, and with more support, the hub is confident it can increase the benefits it provides across the county.
“J is an octogenarian living at the top of a hill in Wellington,” said Mark. “As a non-driver she walks one mile each Tuesday to Wellington Market to do her weekly shop.
“Most weeks she visits four or five local shops. Previously, when the groceries were too heavy to carry back to her house, she had to arrange a lift to return home.
“J was one of the first people SCH helped with regular deliveries. Once her shopping is completed she drops her bags off at the local greengrocer and is then able to walk back home at her own pace.
“The groceries are collected by the duty rider and delivered safely to her house once she has returned home.
“During 2024, a medical condition prevented J from walking a long distance or uphill. The service became even more important. Orders were placed with traders and the duty riders collected and delivered. J has now recovered and is able to walk into Wellington and have her shopping delivered again.”
Another individual that the SCH has helped is ‘C’.
“C is now a nonagenarian and living in Trench,” Mark said. “He has been a lifelong shopper in Wellington.
“His weekly trips to Wellington with his late wife to shop and socialise with friends and family were done for many years.
“The rationalisation of bus services over time has made this very difficult over the last two decades.
“C had relied on others to ensure that his shopping and transport needs were met. His weekly order is made to the local butcher and delicatessen and is now delivered by the duty rider. This involves a round trip of six miles, which is invariably planned with other regular deliveries to Hadley.”
For Shropshire Cycle Hub to continue in its good work, it needs as much support from the general public as possible.
“One of the key areas in terms of how people can help us is through donating bicycles,” said Mark. “We’re doing a big call-out now and are setting up collection points. People can just drop off their old bikes that they don’t need and then we can take those to our workshops and renovate them and make them available.
“Alternatively, people can support us with a bit of money on JustGiving, because we have to survive just on donations, but we’re also putting a call out for more volunteers. This is a great activity for people who want to give something back or just be part of a community effort, and we’d love to hear from anyone interested in getting involved.”
For more information, visit www.shropshirecyclehub.uk/
