Tower Hamlets Wheelers
NEWS RELEASE 20 August 2002
For immediate release
Ref THW4fixedbikes200802
Re-cycling to defend cyclists
The Tower Hamlets Wheelers (1) are donating £100 to the Cyclists' Defence
Fund, from money raised by the sale of abandoned and broken bicycles that
were 're-cycled' by the Wheelers into a safe condition.
"We think this donation is timely because the Fund is designed to assist
cyclists who are involved in a road accident - an issue which has been rife
in the media lately due to impending European legislation," says Gary
Cummins, also a member of the CTC, the national cyclists' organisation that
helped set up the Fund (2).
The 15 bikes were in various states of distress after being left chained to
railings for over three months in the City of London. Gary suggested to the
Corporation of London, who were going to scrap the bikes, that the Wheelers
could 're-cycle' them instead.
In their spare time three members of the Wheelers worked in Gary's garden to
repair the bikes to a safe and road-worthy working order, selling them on to
local people.
Four bikes were sold the night before this summer's first Tube strike
started. The Tower Hamlets Wheelers will use the rest of the money raised
from the bike sales to campaign for better cycling facilities, and to
encourage and enable more people to cycle.
If anyone would like to make a donation to the Cyclists' Defence Fund or the
Wheelers, please contact Owen Pearson, Wheelers Co-ordinator owen@towerhamletswheelers.org.uk
ENDS
More info: Gary Cummins gary@towerhamletswheelers.org.uk
Alix Stredwick 07712 471411
Notes
(1) The Tower Hamlets Wheelers is the local cycle action group in the east
London Borough of Tower Hamlets, campaigning for better cycling facilities
and encouraging more people to cycle - for health, the environment and for
London. The Wheelers are affiliated to the London Cycling Campaign, the
largest urban cycling campaign in the world.
(2) The Cyclists' Defence Fund was established in 2001 by the CTC in the
wake of a case where Provident Insurance accused the parents of 8-year-old
Darren Coombs of negligence after he was involved in an accident while
riding his bike. The outrage expressed by CTC and hundreds of cyclists
forced Provident to back down and withdraw its claim that Darren should have
been wearing a helmet and should have been supervised.
Tower Hamlets Wheelers
wheelers@towerhamletswheelers.org.uk www.towerhamletswheelers.org.uk
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