Our Aims Our Activities Meet the Team Our History
Welcome to Scotland Bike Waiting Times Request a Bike Form
Bike Donations The Difference a Bike Makes Donate a Bike Form
Help the wheels go round Sponsor a New Scot Sponsor a Welcome Pack Fundraise for Us
Support us Volunteer Roles Meet Our Supporters Enquire about Volunteering
Corporate Sponsors & Partnerships
 
 
 

Welcome to Bikes for Refugees Scotland

Bikes provide isolated and disadvantaged New Scots with a free and sustainable means of travel.

A day bus ticket in Glasgow costs £5.40. In Edinburgh £5.00. The Average UK daily food shop is £4.91. Clothes spend £1.46. Toiletries spend 30p.

With no right to work and an asylum allowance of only £7 per day (£8.86 ‘per week’ for hotel residents- recently cut from £9.58) for all daily living expenses- food, clothes, toiletries and expensive public transport costs- access to bicycles can be a lifeline for many New Scots.

The cost of living crisis is deepening the severe poverty and disadvantage experienced by many New Scots, having to make difficult choices between expensive public transport costs and being able to feed their families.

With your support we can aleviate this disadvantage and extend a hand of friendship through the transformational power of bikes and cycling.

 
 
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We are a unique community project with high impact and social return on investment.

New Scots tell us that with your support they don’t have to make difficult choices between eating and expensive public transport costs. Bicycles as a free and sustainable mode of transport help people to access-

  • Language classes

  • School, college, university

  • Volunteering and work opportunities

  • Essential meetings, support services and community activities

Cycling also helps to:-

  • Protect and promote physical health and mental wellbeing

  • Meet new people, develop new friendships and social support networks

  • Put some fun and joy into the lives of people who have endured much trauma and hardship

With your support we can extend a hand of friendship to many more New Scots through the gift of bikes and cycling.

Quotes Database

I got a bicycle from bike for refugees and so happy with it as it helped me with finances and now don’t need that much for buses for getting to places and meeting people. Mentally it has helped me to be more happy than before.

My bike helped me when I first came to Scotland to make my new home here when I didn’t know anyone or where to go. Asylum seekers have only very limited funds so having a bike can help people like me access employment and their community.

I am a refugee and I am studying English at the moment. Having a bike helped me a lot to go to the college and to different destination and at the same time it's helped me to do exercise and to be healthy.

Mentally it has helped me to be more happy than before. Thanks to everyone who helped me to get a bike and thanks for who donated it.

 

MEET SOME OF OUR NEW SCOTS FRIENDS

With your support we have provided over 2500 New Scots with essential freedom of movement

People tell us how important it is having access to a bike for all sorts of daily activities and to keep fit & healthy

 
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Sponsor a New Scot

We welcome both one-off or regular donations.

Donate £25 to provide a child with the joy and gift of cycling.

Donate £45 to gift a Welcome Pack for a New Scot.

We welcome your donations no matter how large or small- every pound donated will help to provide New Scots with essential mobility and the joys of cycling.

THANK YOU.

Help us to support New Scots

We need your support and skills to help with-

  • Repairing and refurbishing bikes

  • Fundraising activities and events

  • Dropping bikes with families & collecting donated bikes

  • Expertise as trustees, admin, graphic & web design, business support etc.

  • Many other support activities as needs arise

If you are interested in supporting New Scots, please visit our volunteering page and complete our volunteering enquiry form stating your skills and interests.

We particularly welcome enquiries from refugees and asylum seekers.

 
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Welcome to Scotland

REFUGEES AND ASYLUM SEEKERS REQUEST A BIKE HERE

If you are a refugee or asylum seeker living in Scotland (New Scot) we can provide you with a free bike. We will also provide you with a free Welcome Pack that contains a new bike helmet, lock and lights.

Please complete the online form on our website and you will be added to our waiting list. When a bike becomes available we will contact you.

COVID-19 GUIDANCE

Coronavirus remains a serious health risk. You should stay cautious to help protect yourself and others.

The Health & Safety of everyone who comes into contact with Bikes for Refugees (Scotland) is a priority at all times.

We continue to review our guidance and procedures on an ongoing basis in line with Scottish Government and Public Health guidance.

When visiting our community hubs please follow our Covid safety procedures at all times- wear face coverings, sanitize your hands and social distance as required.

Please consider taking a Lateral Flow Test (LFT) prior to visiting us.

If you are feeling unwell please follow health guidance and stay at home.

THANK YOU

 We’re a Social Organisation

 
The BIG BfR FUNDRAISING AUCTION Our online auction will launch at the end of May- watch this space! We would welcome your support. We are looking for items to auction. This could include experiences, signed memorabilia, bike/cycling themed items, a
THE BIG BfR FUNDRAISING AUCTION 2024 Support the BIG BfR fundraising auction? Donations required for auction to support New Scots access to free bikes and cycling Donate- experiences, bike/cycling themed items, artworks, event tickets, signed memora
Communities have donated nearly 3000 bikes for refugees over the last 7yrs. Your support has been incredible but we still need your help. We have many people on our waiting list & we can't do what we do without your bike donations. Please dona
A very happy & peacful Eid Mubarak from everyone at BfR to all our friends who are celebrating 🥳
BIRTHDAY CAKE CELEBRATIONS with our fantastic volunteers & staff- we are 7yrs old today 🎂 A BIG BfR thanks to each & every supporter over the last 7yrs- all the people who have donated bikes- nearly 3000 donated and gifted to New Scots ref
We have made a significant policy change & decided to switch our support to refugees from bicycles to motor-vehicles as a more sustainable, environmental & economical way of supporting people. Policy will be effective from 1st April 2025. I
CAN YOU DONATE TO OUR BIG ONLINE FUNDRAISING AUCTION 🧡 We are running an online auction throughout this year's Edinburgh Festival of Cycling @edfoc We need your donations for auction. Every penny raised will support New Scots refugees access to fr
www.bikesforrefugees.scot If you have a bike that you can donate to a refugee we would love to hear from you. Better condition the bike the better. Adult bikes particularly welcome. Please complete our donate a bike for on our website thank you ?
 
 
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