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Supporting fair and ethical business in partnership with The Co-operative Bank

Bikespace: The pedal powered co‑op bettering people and planet

Case study

Published
1st July 2024
Topic
Co-op development
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People attending a bike maintenance workshop
A bikespace bicycle maintenance workshop in action

Meet the team who’ve combined their passion for bicycles with improving lives and making a positive difference in the world… 

As the name suggests, Bikespace in Plymouth is all about bicycles! They repair and recycle bikes, train people in bike maintenance and provide bicycle logistics. 

When the founder of Bikespace decided to step back, he wanted to leave the business in the capable hands of his team – and guarantee its future. So he turned it into a co‑op. 

“He wanted to make sure a single person couldn’t just come in, sell it and change what it’s all about,” said Bikespace member Robbie Kelly. “And the co‑op ethos is in line with how we want to run a business as well.” 

It’s no surprise that co‑operative values are a good match for what the Bikespace team do, because they’re not just about bikes – they’re about make a positive difference through the power of bikes. 

“We offer education to pupils who are struggling in mainstreams schools, taking ages 14‑16 and teaching them bike mechanics,” said Robbie. 

“Our outreach has also widened to the neighbouring community – people experiencing loneliness, isolation or addiction – we use bicycles to better people’s lives throughout Plymouth.

“We take them out for bike rides and teach them cycling skills. They come to us for 6-12 weeks and we teach them how to ride around the city, with a view to them cycling independently, so they can keep on cycling in future.” 

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A man checking bicycles with a police officer
Checking out bikes at a local police station

With their outreach work, repair workshop and bike recycling service, the Bikespace team are certainly busy. In recent years, they’ve also won a large contract for a Plymouth‑wide bicycle share scheme, providing servicing and logistics for a fleet of 550 electric bikes. 

To get all this done, Bikespace currently has four core co‑op members and a wider 11‑strong team who are working towards membership. For Robbie, being a co‑operative is a natural fit for an organisation with a mission to empower people.

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As a co‑op, we are in charge of our own destiny. We all have a say and nobody’s idea is too silly. It’s great to empower people to have an input in the running of the business.
– Robbie Kelly, Bikesapce

For his colleague and fellow Bikespace member AJ Bishop, it’s all about inclusion and fairness too. “In an organisation that’s not a co‑op, you can have the best intentions to involve people but it’s easy for months to go by without asking anyone their opinion. 

“In a co‑op, it doesn’t matter how busy everyone is – they all have an equal voice. You don’t forget about people.” 

To convert to a co‑op, Bikespace was aided by the Business Support for Co‑ops programme, delivered by Co‑operatives UK in partnership with The Co‑operative Bank

They were awarded support from co‑op advisor Mark Simmonds. “Mark’s help was really valuable,” said AJ. “We had several video call meetings with him and we learned a lot from that. We bombarded him with questions and he helped us with pointers on what to do next.”

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We bounced a lot of our concerns off Mark, as we took each stage step by step. He put our minds at rest. He has valuable knowledge and expertise – and his reassurance gave us confidence.
– AJ Bishop, Bikespace

As part of the support package, Bikespace got to visit another co‑operative bicycle organisation – The Bristol Bike Project.

“That was really helpful,” said AJ. “We didn’t know what we were going to get out of it but actually seeing their business helped put a lot of things into place in our own heads.”

For both AJ and Robbie, being part of Bikespace is incredibly rewarding. 

“I’ve worked in ‘normal’ bike shops previously, and it’s very much about making money. The ethos here is great and there’s a lot of job satisfaction. We have so many success stories,” said AJ. 

“I believe in bikes and that everyone should be able to ride a bike, enjoy it and get the mental health benefit,” added Robbie. “It’s incredibly fulfilling to see it – there’s a certain childlike element when people ride a bike and it creates so much happiness, which we see so much of through our courses.” 

Find out more 

Bikespace – Website | Facebook | Instagram | Vimeo 

Thinking about becoming, starting or growing a co‑op?
Our Business Support for Co‑ops programme is designed for you.
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