A CREWE volunteer-run bike shop which has kept key workers in the saddle throughout the coronavirus pandemic is now stepping up a gear.

Community Recycle Cycles, in Coronation Crescent, has not only joined the government's Fix Your Bike initiative but is also jointly launching a new bicycle loan service later this year.

Director Annette Cormack has been running the not-for-profit community interest company, which sells refurbished and recycled donated bikes as well as providing an affordable bicycle repair service, for almost eight years.

She told Crewe Nub News: "We have been working extremely hard to keep up with demand during the coronavirus pandemic. Initially, we closed for the first couple of weeks of lockdown because a number of our volunteers are over 70 and others have health issues or family members who were shielding.

"Then we started to get requests from key workers who needed to get to work by bike, so we partially reopened with two young, fit volunteers.

"We received some funding from Cycling UK to provide a free service for key workers and their households.

"By the end of June, when the government restrictions eased, we fully welcomed back the public."

To satisfy the local community's appetite for two-wheeled transport, some volunteers have been breathing new life into donated bikes at home.

"I have been delivering bikes to some of our older volunteers who have been stuck at home and getting bored for them to work on in their sheds and gardens.

"These are then brought back to be checked over by our mechanics before being sold.

"This has had a two-fold benefit - ensuring we can keep up with the level of demand and raising the spirits of volunteers who wanted to continue to help," added Annette.

Community Recycle Cycles is a diverse, yet tight-knit and supportive team, with an emphasis on mentoring and bringing out the best in everyone - including the opportunity to gain nationally-recognised bike mechanic qualifications.

There are currently 24 volunteers, aged between 13 and 79, including several with mental health issues, physical disabilities or complex learning needs.

Community Recycle Cycles has now joined the Fix Your Bike initiative, part of the government's obesity strategy announced on Monday (July 27), where cyclists can register for a £50 voucher to pay for repairs to keep their bike roadworthy.

"We're already receiving calls about the scheme - despite the registration site crashing," said Annette.

"We will do anything we can to encourage more cycling as its not only good for people, but also good for us

"So we are also promoting the government's cycling on prescription scheme, where access to bikes will be available on the NHS, to local GP surgeries and other health professionals."

Details of another new local scheme, planned to launch in conjunction with charity Active Cheshire in September, are also being finalised.

"Active Cheshire, through Sport England, is funding a fleet of eight brand new bicycles which we will loan to people who would prefer not to take public transport to work," explained Annette.

"For a nominal charge they can borrow one of the bikes from Monday to Friday and then, at the weekend, the cycles will be available for families.

"We will also maintain and service the bikes every week.

"It's a great initiative that fits well with the government's strategy on tackling obesity.

"Depending on the take-up we may increase the number of bikes in the fleet."