Since 2013, the Bike Project has donated over 13,000 refurbished bikes to refugees and migrants in the UK, offering a practical route to independence, mobility, and connection.
After discovering that just 5% of their bike recipients were women, they launched the Pedal Power programme – female-led, community-focused cycling lessons designed to help more women access the benefits of bicycle ownership.
Aurore Longue is one of 670 refugee and migrant women who have learnt to cycle through the programme.
She arrived in the UK from Cameroon in 2016, and nearly ten years later, is still awaiting her settled status, meaning that legally she is still unable to work.
Keen to manage her time meaningfully, she learnt to cycle last year whilst in her 40s, a skill she has never previously had access to.
She described the nerves and anticipation before getting on two wheels for the first time, and the joy and sense of purpose the lessons have given her.
In a system where many refugees are not allowed to work and face poverty, isolation, and a hostile asylum process, The Bike Project recognises that while systemic change is vital, practical support is urgently needed, and cycling offers real, immediate benefits.
Four in five refugees in the UK struggle to access essential services, including medical care, legal support, and education due to a lack of affordable, reliable transport.
The bikes offer a free mode of transport, opening up the city and new opportunities, while also providing a low-cost, joyful activity.
Beyond that, participants gain confidence from learning a new skill and build supportive connections through the community created in the lessons.
Emy Yates, Senior Programme Manager at the Bike Project said: “You can see their confidence lift and their personality come out, which is really beautiful. People start shining.”
Through Pedal Power, the charity is helping women take control of their journeys, on and off the bike.
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