Partnership between OUH and Recirculate offering staff free refurbished bikes

Staff at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (OUH) have once again received free refurbished bicycles thanks to an ongoing scheme run in partnership with Recirculate, a project that donates restored goods to NHS staff and children in need.

The project was founded and is funded by the hospital’s partners, Equans E&S Solutions and InfraRed Capital Partners.

Recirculate works closely with the OUH Travel and Transport team to identify and remove abandoned bikes from our Oxford sites. Once collected, the bikes are assessed, restored, and redistributed to staff, with priority given to colleagues in bands two to five.

This year, 17 bikes were given away to our staff members in time for Christmas. Now in its fourth year, the initiative has provided more than 60 colleagues with a restored bike, giving them the opportunity to cycle to work at no cost, helping them save money, improve fitness, and travel more sustainably.

Matt Holmes, Travel and Transport Manager at OUH, explained how the Trust's Travel and Transport team has formalised the process:

"We wanted to create an official system for the removal of abandoned bikes, their recirculation, and the gifting of refurbished cycles to key workers.

"Our Travel and Transport team works closely with our Security colleagues to manage cycling facilities, cycle security, and storage across our sites.

"Bikes left on Trust property are our responsibility. After a reasonable period of inactivity, taking into account holidays, weather, and other factors, bikes are ticketed and then moved after four weeks. They are stored for a further two weeks before being collected by Recirculate for refurbishment.

"The scheme has been beneficial in many ways: removing unsightly abandoned bikes, freeing up storage space, supporting recycling, and providing refurbished bikes to staff at no cost."

Nicola Meadley, Project Manager at Recirculate said: "It is always an excellent experience to give away these bikes to staff members. The scheme reduces waste, increases sustainability, supports NHS workers and provides meaningful work in the prisons.

"The bikes we give away are donated by staff, partner organisation, and members of the local community, before being refurbished by prisoners at HMP Aylesbury and HMP Peterborough.

"We remain very keen to support the efforts of the OUH Travel and Transport team in recycling bikes and returning them to NHS staff."

Clare Howard, one of our patient pathway administrators, received a bike through the scheme two years ago and said:

"Getting a bike through this scheme has been one of the best things that has happened to me. It's been great. I quickly became confident cycling around, and this inspired the rest of my family to make the switch too. It has helped us cut the cost of commuting, improve our general fitness, and get to work faster.

"I even encouraged my colleague to apply for a bike through the scheme, and fortunately she was selected this year. I’m excited for her to experience the benefits of cycling to work and getting around for herself.

"Thank you to Recirculate for providing free refurbished bikes, and to the Travel and Transport Team for supporting this scheme at the Trust."