Bikes for Refugees (Scotland)

Name

Bikes for Refugees (Scotland)

Legal name

Bikes for Refugees (Scotland)

Website

https://bikesforrefugees.scot

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Refugee Mobility Services

NAICS

Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDALAKAE

Bicycle Programs & Bike Share (Parking, Repair, Rentals)

Education/Student Services & Campus Operations/Transportation, Parking & Mobility Services

SECONDARYCRAMAHAH

Bike Service, Repair & Maintenance Shops

Consumer Products & Retail/Sporting Goods & Outdoor Retail/Cycling & Bike Retail

Keywords

• Refugee support services
• Bicycle refurbishment services
• Charitable community programs
• Asylum seeker assistance
• Community cycling initiatives

Headquarters

HQ city

Glasgow

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donated Bikes: Accepts donations of pre-loved bicycles from individuals and organizations, refurbishes them, and distributes free bikes to refugees and asylum seekers
2. Monetary Donations: Accepts one-off and regular cash donations from individuals and corporate sponsors to fund bike repairs, accessories (helmets, locks, lights), and operational costs
3. Grant Funding: Receives grant funding from charitable foundations and government bodies to support operations, staff, and programs
4. Corporate Sponsorship: Corporate partners provide cash donations, in-kind support, discounts, volunteering, and fundraising event support

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Bikes for Refugees (Scotland) refurbishes donated second-hand bicycles at its community hubs in Glasgow and Edinburgh and distributes them free of charge, paired with a New Scots Welcome Pack (helmet, lock, lights, and tools), to refugees and asylum seekers across Scotland. The organisation also runs community workshop hubs where volunteers refurbish bikes under qualified mechanics, supports cycling skills training, and operates a Hub & Spoke model that extends refurbishment capacity through schools, clubs, and community groups.

Product overview

Bikes for Refugees (Scotland) is a charity (SCIO, SC047302) providing a portfolio of services centered on redistributing refurbished bicycles to New Scots (refugees and asylum seekers). The core offering is the combination of free refurbished bicycles paired with New Scots Welcome Packs containing essential cycling accessories (helmet, lock, lights, tools) and community information. The organization operates community hub workshops in Glasgow and Edinburgh where volunteers refurbish donated bikes, supplemented by a Hub & Spoke model for external repair partners. Beyond bike distribution, services include volunteering opportunities, fundraising challenge events, and cycling skills support. The organization is entirely donation-funded, accepting bike donations, financial contributions, and offering corporate sponsorship packages.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Free Refurbished Bicycles for New Scots A free-of-charge service that refurbishes donated second-hand bicycles at BfR's community hubs in Glasgow and Edinburgh and distributes them to refugees and asylum seekers (New Scots) to provide essential mobility, freedom of movement, and access to appointments, services, language classes, education, volunteering, and employment.
• New Scots Welcome Pack A free bundle provided with every bicycle distributed by BfR, containing essential cycling accessories (helmet, lock, lights, and tools) together with signposting to other free community services and activities for refugees and asylum seekers.
• Community Hub Bike Refurbishment Workshops Operated community workshops in Glasgow (Govan) and Edinburgh (Leith, hosted by Edinburgh Bike Tours) where volunteer bike mechanics, under supervision of qualified employed mechanics, refurbish donated bikes to a quality standard for distribution to New Scots, with an additional Hub & Spoke model enabling partner schools, clubs, and community groups to refurbish bikes from their own premises.
• Cycling Skills and Confidence Support for New Scots Free support provided to New Scots who do not feel confident cycling on Scottish roads and paths, helping them access cycling-skills training alongside receiving a free bicycle, and complemented by BfR-affiliated cycling groups for ongoing peer support.

Quantifiable outcome

• 4000+ New Scots provided with essential mobility and freedom of movement
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Soulriders ScotlandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEarly partnership (2017) providing Glasgow home for BfR operations before move to dedicated hub. Helped with bike transport and distribution, ending the need to squeeze bikes into campervans.
• Edinburgh Bike Tours LeithcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCurrent host of Edinburgh hub workshop space since January 2021, providing Covid-secure premises for bike refurbishment operations in Leith.
• Glentress Alpine BikesminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRegular donor of Trek bikes for New Scots. Donated bikes for refugee families in NE Scotland in 2019 and continued support through 2023.
• Alpkit EdinburghminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate sponsor passionate about cycling accessibility. Supports BfR making bikes and cycling free and accessible to New Scots.
• CheemiaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerScottish social media business supporting BfR since 2018 through donations and team fundraising. Enabled purchase of 30 bikes and 100 helmets for refugee children. Founded by immigrant Mehrnaz Campbell.
• Pilot BeerminorGTM or Marketing PartnerScottish brewery partner proud to extend hand of friendship to New Scots. Delighted to support BfR with multi-year partnership.
• DECATHLONcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor retail partner passionate about getting people active. Aligned with mission to help New Scots access bikes. Looking forward to continued partnership.
• MaslowscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered during COVID-19 emergency relief, distributing food vouchers and phones to isolated New Scots alongside BfR's relief efforts.
• MORE (Charity)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCOVID-19 emergency partner distributing food vouchers alongside BfR's relief efforts to address food insecurity among New Scots.
• The Bike Project (London)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-beneficiary of Sarah Ruggins' JOGLEJOG World Record cycling challenge (May 2025), sharing fundraising proceeds to support similar refugee bike programs.
• Wee Spoke Hub EdinburghcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEarly partnership (Summer 2016) helping fix up bikes for refugees when BfR was just starting out and needed workshop space.
• Pedal Forth bikes (Leith)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOriginal donor of first bike to Yaman (Syrian New Scot) in 2016, the inspiration behind BfR's founding.
• Cycling ScotlandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStaff exchange partner - Matt joined BfR as Project Manager (Hubs) from Cycling Scotland in October 2020, bringing expertise in cycle-friendly community initiatives.
• Edinburgh PrintmakersminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHosted BfR celebration evening and limited edition poster sale fundraiser in June 2023, raising over £1,000 for New Scots refugee bike access.
• Edinburgh Road ClubminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSupported Pedal on Parliament fundraising events and celebrations for BfR.
• Innes and GunnminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSupported BfR fundraising events and celebrations.
• Bridge 8 Hub EdinburghcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEarly storage location (20ft shipping container) and later expanded to 40ft shipping container workshop space for Edinburgh operations (2016-2019).
• Glasgow Caring CityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvided temporary workshop space in Glasgow during transition period (September 2019).
• Scottish Refugee CouncilminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupported fundraising celebration event and refugee-focused initiatives.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Cycling UK: Largest UK cycling charity; covers cycling advocacy, training and community programs including for refugees and asylum seekers, making it a broader incumbent in the same charity/cycling nexus.

Direct peers

• Re-Cycle: UK charity refurbishing donated bikes for shipment to partners in Africa; same refurbishment-and-distribution model as BfR but with a different beneficiary geography (international rather than UK refugees).
• Bikeworks: London-based cycling charity using refurbished bikes and cycling activities for community and refugee support; shares BfR's combination of bike refurbishment, training, and beneficiary engagement model.
• The Bike Project: London-based charity refurbishing donated bikes and gifting them to refugees and asylum seekers; explicitly co-beneficiary of BfR fundraising (JOGLEJOG 2025), operates the same donor-refurbish-distribute model as BfR.
• Action Cycles: Bristol-based community bike project refurbishing donated bikes and supporting marginalised groups; closely comparable in mission and operations to BfR.

Emerging players

• Revolve Bike Exchange: Community cycling charity refurbishing and redistributing bikes for underserved groups in the UK, with a similar non-commercial, donation-funded operating model.
• Westminster Bicycle Initiative: Smaller-scale London initiative teaching cycle mechanics to refugees and providing refurbished bikes; overlaps with BfR's refugee bike-and-skills mission.

Regional players

• Bike for Good: Glasgow-based social enterprise promoting cycling access and inclusion, including for disadvantaged and refugee communities; directly overlaps geographically with BfR's Glasgow hub.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/bikes4refugees
• Facebookfacebook.com/BikesForRefugeesScotland
• Instagraminstagram.com/@bikes4refugees
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bikes-for-refugees-scotland-

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Bikes for Refugees (Scotland)