Glasgow Airport’s FlightPath Fund has awarded £3000 to a Community Interest Company (CIC) geared at all things cycle related.
The money will help Kustom Kruizers, based the former public toilets in Robertson Park in Renfrew, continue to engage with young people and families on all aspects of bike maintenance.
Run by Dave Neill and his wife Rosslyn, Kustom Kruizers offers term-time workshops all year round in partnership with secondary school across Renfrewshire and beyond.
The pupils involved learn how to strip down, repair, refurbish and rebuild the many donated or unwanted bikes that are handed in. Once the bikes are restored, they are then sold at greatly reduced prices within the local community.
Dave said: “Our fundamental principle is to take a simple tool – such as a bicycle – and use it to engage with potentially disenfranchised individuals and young people.
“Not only do our workshops bestow practical life skills, they allow members of the community to participate in cycling, an activity that we are deeply enthusiastic about to promote health and wellbeing.
“We passionately believe that working with bikes in a practical, methodical and creative way has life-enhancing benefits for both the local community and individuals.
“Thanks to the support of the FlightPath Fund, we were able to replenish much needed stock this year in order to have the materials required to refurbish hundreds of bikes and to continue running these valuable workshops.”
Kustom Kruizers gained exclusive access to Renfrewshire Council’s four recycling centres in order to pick up unwanted bikes for refurbishment and also opened up a coffee bar at its base earlier this year.
Dave added: “The majority of these bicycles are in good working order with only minor repairs needed. We take these bicycles to our workshop and use them for young people to work on during our programme. As a result, there is a reduction in waste metal and rubber, therefore benefitting the environment.”
Renfrewshire Council Leader Iain Nicolson, who sits on the FlightPath Fund’s committee on behalf of the local authority, said: “I’ve been aware of the fantastic work of Kustom Kruizers for some time and it really is a great example of a Community Interest Company.
“It’s such great local asset for the people of Renfrew and beyond. As well as making brilliant use of the former public toilets in Robertson Park, Kustom Kruizers is also delivering education and empowerment to young people through these community workshops while supporting the circular economy by refurbishing unwanted bikes and putting them back into the community.
“The FlightPath Fund Committee was unanimous in its decision to award such a brilliant example of the type of projects we are keen to support.”
Almost £85,000 has been awarded in 2022 by the FlightPath Fund to help support 64 groups, charities and projects within the communities local to the airport.
The FlightPath Fund’s committee, which includes elected representatives from each of the four local authorities bordering Glasgow Airport, meets regularly throughout the year to consider all applications made and to allocate any agreed financial support.
The FlightPath Fund will return in 2023 and its committee is keen to hear from and support sustainability-themed projects aimed at improving the environment in the communities local to the airport.
To find out more about applying for funding support, visit: www.glasgowairport.com/community and download the application form and our funding guidelines.