HMP Aylesbury is part of a new prison programme that encourages inmates to repair and recycle bikes.
Along with HMP Hewell they will aim to refurbish over 900 bikes for hospital staff and children from disadvantaged backgrounds, helping prisoners gain new skills and turn their lives around.
The project provides specialist training to prisoners helping them gain skills, hopefully providing more job opportunities after they are released. Once they have completed their training, they achieve the City & Guilds Level 1 and 2 qualification in bike maintenance.
The repurposed bikes will be distributed to hospital staff and children from disadvantaged backgrounds across England.
Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Secretary Dominic Raab said:
"Equipping prisoners with the skills to help secure a job upon release is vital to enabling them to turn their lives around, providing them with a purpose and allowing them to give something back to society.
The Lifecycle project is a terrific scheme, providing skills in demand, and recognising the doctors, nurses and other key workers who have been the heroes of our pandemic response."
Paula Rogers, former prison service manager based at Hmyoi Aylesbury told us about her experiences of the positive impacts programs like these can have on inmates:
"When you see a young person click with a trade skill and take pride in their craftsmanship, it gives you real confidence that they have a real chance when they leave custody.
"It's really easy to think of young offenders as having a disregard for their communities, but many of them feel really connected to people who have a need for support, and an important part of the rehabilitation process is understanding the positive impact an individual can have to their wider community."
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