Author Nicole Kalinowska, from Active Oxfordshire is celebrating the first anniversary of Sanctuary Wheels, which provides bikes for refugees and asylum seekers.
In May 2022, with the help of Cyclox, Asylum Welcome and a number of other amazing Oxfordshire-based organisations, we launched Sanctuary Wheels to provide bikes to refugees and asylum seekers across the county.
With a shared goal of making Oxfordshire a more welcoming home for those who have moved here to escape from conflict, over 600 bikes have been donated, repaired, and given to refugees in Oxfordshire.
READ MORE: 200 bikes donaed to Sanctuary Wheels
How does Sanctuary Wheels work?
Sanctuary Wheels is a fantastic example of the Oxfordshire community coming together to support refugees and asylum seekers. Bikes are donated by members of the public, schools, colleges and business, and are then refurbished by volunteers.
Cyclox played a key role in the running of Sanctuary Wheels during 2022, with Kathryn McNicoll co-ordinating the project alongside trained mechanics and giving out hundreds of bikes to refugees across the county.
Sanctuary Wheels is now run out of a warehouse in East Oxford; refugees visit Asylum Welcome volunteer Nasser Salehi, who runs the workshop fixing up donated bikes. The greatest need are those who are further from the city and in more isolated areas of Oxfordshire, where access to shops, health services, work are more difficult.
Why are bikes so important for refugees?
Gilberto Estrada Harris, from Asylum Welcome, reflects on the impact Sanctuary Wheels has on individuals and the importance of having a bike:
“Sanctuary Wheels is making a huge difference transforming people’s lives that arrive here, often with nothing, with no money, with no place to live, no accommodation, no phone, no laptop, and of course no means of transport.”
A bike is “a symbol of freedom”, helping people to move around and navigate the city, giving access to shops, healthcare and emergency services, and to explore and spend time with families and communities.
Max, a refugee who fled from Ukraine in May 2022, emphasises the huge difference that having a bike has made since his arrival to the UK. It has helped him to make connections in Oxford, such as visiting friends, attending GP appointments, going to language cafes, as well as giving him a sense of control and independence. Having a bike has played a huge part in helping Max settle into the country and feel as part of society.
Not only has Sanctuary Wheels given Fahad, a refugee from Kuwait, a means to navigate Oxfordshire and create networks with people, but the project has also given him an opportunity to volunteer. Fahad originally came to Nasser requesting a bike, to later return for volunteering opportunities. Nasser told us Fahad needed to be doing something, to be kept busy, to work and learn. He now helps Nasser in his workshop each day, fixing up and distributing the bikes, and helping to keep up with the high demand. Fahad is one of hundreds of asylum seekers who are now staying in hotels across Oxfordshire.
“Owned by everybody” - a true community project Sanctuary Wheels has been made possible because of the incredible collaboration between the organisations and communities which have been involved including Cyclox, Radley College, Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service, Oxfordshire County Council with their support with the Active Travel fund, and other Oxfordshire-based organisations.
Sanctuary Wheels is looking for a new long-term home for bike storage and workshop space, to ensure we can continue giving bikes, and the freedom and independence that comes with cycling, to refugees in Oxfordshire. If you can help in any way, or can donate a bike, please contact bike@asylum-welcome.org.
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