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A free motorcycle workshop aiming to help biking fans leave their dark days in the dust has launched in West Belfast .

'The Bike Pit' is the brainchild of local men Bobby Guiney, 47, and 31-year-old Chris Donnelly who had been helping friends fix their bikes from their own garage.

Through doing just that, they soon realised the impact their mechanical help was having on people's mental health.

Bobby said: "Half way down the line Chris sort of clicked on, we helped that fella there. We got a couple of thanks and that's where it all sort of started from.

"He was quite lonely and hadn't left his house in a long time but he was a different person after it. Once he got out on a few runs a week and started chatting to people, he was smiling and stuff again.

"I though 'sh*t, I didn't realise how bad he was'.

"It was nice.”

From there more and more people started to show up.

“It started happening more regularly,” Chris explained.

“Then we started having people up who we didn’t even know who they were - a friend of a friend - an we noticed we got a few people out of a few ruts.

“We helped them get their bikes up and going and got them back out on charity runs and socialising again.”

Together the bike-loving pals then set about finding a space where they could help even more with their "bikes and minds" after noticing that a growing number of people in the community were struggling with personal problems.

“We just sort of thought we need to do something to help them,” Bobby added.

“It sounds corny, but we feel that we were lucky to be able to do it.”

Now the thoughtful duo have officially set up their unique 'shop' off Kennedy Way.

“This is what the biking community is all about - helping,” he explained.

“We are here to help anybody who comes in through that door.”

Chris added: “The person doesn’t always have to be at rock bottom to come here and get help - call it preventative. We don’t them sitting in the house and 'hermitting' - come out and have a bit of a laugh.”

On June 1 the pair moved to their West Belfast garage and “got it all set up”.

“We’ve got every tool that you would need to work on a motorbike,” Bobby said.

“About 10 to 15 people would come regularly - it’s like a kindergarten.

“You come in and leave your stresses and worries at the front door, just banter, sleg, have a bit of craic. Everybody is up for it, everybody is game and I think because it’s so open to all that, those people coming in do relax very quickly.

“There’s no hidden agenda, no behind the door. Whatever you are here for we are here to help.”

“The point of the place is a DIY garage,” added Chris. “We will pitch in and help you if you want, but we don’t just fix your bike and all your problems are gone.

“You muck in and you’ll hopefully get something from doing that as well as having a fixed bike. You’re getting a bit of self satisfaction at having achieved something.”

The IT man said that while they haven’t been going long they are already looking at ways to help others in the community.

“For young ones who like the scramblers we are thinking of running a safety and maintenance course for their bikes to show them how to respect the vehicles and how to maintain them,” he explained.

“We still need to look into that.”

Bobby said a number of women’s bike groups have also reached out.

“We said they can come down and use it - that’s what it’s all about!” he exclaimed. “We are not just a place for men. We are a place for anybody who can get a benefit out of it.

“That’s why when you come in here, everything that you can use is free. The only thing that’s charged for is the tea, coffee and Coke.

“The help is free because we don’t want to miss out on anybody - that one person who feels that they can’t afford to come down and work on their bike.”

At the moment the men said their charity Bikes and Minds is being funded by private donors and that they have applied for Charity Commission accreditation.

Bob said, however, that they “could always do with more tools”.

“If you are in working on your bike, something goes wrong and you can’t get that part fixed, it does create a little bit of frustration. We can’t afford that,” he added.

Likewise, they are also hoping more people will pop round.

“If we stick with the members we have now, that’s great, but if we can help somebody else - that’s even better,” he said.

“Come down and have a cup of tea and a chat.”

The Bike Pit on is open on Tuesdays from 5.30-10pm and Saturday/ Sunday 10-5pm at 11B Kennedy Way, Belfast BT11 9AP.

CLICK HERE to contact them on Facebook.

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