When Steven McCluskey met a young asylum-seeker called Yaman, it was a moment that changed both of their lives.

Yaman had fled the conflict in Syria, arriving in Scotland with no possessions beyond the clothes on his back.

Steven recalls: “I saw an appeal on social media asking for help. I am a keen cyclist and managed to get a local bike shop to donate him a bike. It quickly became obvious what a difference having the bike made to his life. He was not allowed to work, and couldn’t claim benefits, and was only receiving an allowance of a few pounds. He didn’t even have enough money to use local transport.

“The bike at least meant he could explore his new home but also it gave him a means of transport so he could meet with the home office and discuss his claim.”

From that first bike for Yaman, the project snowballed as Steven realised just how many people could benefit.

He founded Bikes for Refugees, and three years on, Stephen and his band of more than 20 volunteers have refurbished and donated more than 600 bikes for asylum-seekers across Scotland.

“We like to call them ‘New Scots’,” explains Steven. “They like it too, rather than being labeled by their circumstances. It also sends out an important message of solidarity to people who arrive in Scotland seeking safety and shelter.

“We have proven that bikes and the transformational power of cycling helps isolated families and children to connect with communities, essential services, and to connect with people - helping to forge new friends.

“Where I live in Edinburgh, asylum seekers tend to be housed miles out from the city. It means they can quickly become isolated and I hear stories about them having to walk three or four hours a day just to access vital services like a doctor appointment. They also need to come into the centre to meet with solicitors.

“Having a bike gives them freedom of movement and lets them meet up with others. Another nice thing is that we have introduced women who might never have ridden a bike, and come from countries where it is not deemed socially acceptable, to ride for the first time.”

The charity repair and distribute bikes from Edinburgh and Glasgow. In Edinburgh they are based at the Bridge 8 Hub outdoor learning and activity centre in a 40ft shipping container alongside the Union Canal. In Glasgow they have formed a partnership with SoulRiders Scotland where the volunteers repair and distribute bikes. At their workshops they also train refugees to be bike mechanics.

All sorts of bikes come in, including some donated by the public, others given up as lost property from universities and abandoned bikes handed over by the police.

The scheme is now so popular that Steven and his team can’t keep up with demand and there is a waiting list of more than 50 people hoping to benefit.

Steven has to fit in his charity work alongside a full time job working as a development manager for a mental health charity. It means he rarely has any free time, but he is determined to do all he can to help those in need.

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