City of Bath College has teamed up with leading Bath homelessness charity Julian House to launch a new cycle maintenance course.
The course forms part of the College’s popular Love2learn programme of short courses and one-day workshops and will be run by tutors from Julian House.
It will teach the basics of how to look after your bike to ensure it remains roadworthy and safe.
The course is run over four weeks, each Thursday night from 6pm to 8pm. The first course begins on Thursday 24th May, with the second four-week programme beginning on Thursday 28th June. It costs £60.
If it proves successful, the College hopes to deliver a similar version elsewhere in the city, through its Adult and Community Learning Team.
Rob Sibley, Director of Development at City of Bath College, said: “This new course aims to teach people the basics of cycle maintenance as well as provide some top tips on what to do to keep your bike roadworthy.
“With cycling becoming more and more popular in Bath and the surrounding area we are hopeful that this course will prove popular with those people who have chosen to leave their cars at home and travel by pedal power instead.
“I’m delighted to be working with Julian House on this project and know their knowledgeable tutors will deliver an entertaining and informative course.”
In 2010 Julian House launched a project called reCYCLEd, where used bikes are repaired by clients and then sold to raise funds. Much of the work at reCYCLEd is carried out by clients under the supervision of staff members. This includes servicing and repairs to machines which are brought in by members of the public – often with a same day turnaround. reCYCLEd has subsequently been renamed as Bath Bike Workshop.
Cecil Weir, from Julian House, said: “Over the past 18 months we have worked hard to develop our bike workshop into a substantial social enterprise. From very modest beginnings it is now one of the biggest second hand bike shops in the South West. We also carry out servicing and stock a wide range of accessories.
“The staff and client team have a huge wealth of experience so this latest project with City of Bath College is a natural progression. These are skills that are attractive to the public and the College’s expertise in recruitment for courses will be invaluable. The College has also been really supportive in terms of coaching our course tutors.”
For more information about this course and to book your place, call the College.
