27 Oct 2022
Bolt provides ‘on demand’ transport when you need it so you don’t have to own a car to get around. Our goal is to offer easy mobility solutions all in one app so whenever you need to go somewhere — it’s as easy as it possibly can be. Depending on the country Bolt serves, this can include e-scooters, e-bikes, car sharing in addition to ride-hailing. Having all of these products available reduces congestion, frees up parking space and benefits communities.
Looking after the communities that Bolt serves is one of our biggest priorities. Particularly those who might be placed at a disadvantage when it comes to accessing reliable and affordable transport. This is exceptionally the case for refugees and asylum seekers.
New arrivals to the UK who are living on £39 a week, are not allowed to work, and generally need additional help to get established.
That’s why Bolt is launching a national partnership with The Bike Project — a charity that takes in second hand bikes, refurbishes them, and donates them to refugees and asylum seekers.
There are over 200,000 refugees in the UK right now and c.27,500 bikes are abandoned each year in London alone. These bikes can be a game changer — helping those in need get to visa appointments, visit loved ones and finish errands more efficiently.
We’re partnering with the Bike Project on 3 key components:
Bolt Bike Hubs — turning our driver hub locations into bike drop-off sites. Bolt driver hubs act as additional collection points for The Bike Project’s donation network.
Have a bike you no longer need? Bring it to one of our hubs.
All bikes must be pre-registered via the Bike Project website. You can also find additional drop-off points if another location suits you better.
Fundraising — with access to millions of customers in the UK, we’ll feature in-app donation opportunities on a national and regional level. Bolt will match any donations made through these means. This money will help fund workshops and deliver initiatives like Pedal Power that teach cycling confidence in the refugee community.
Help and support — by offering those who have received ‘right to remain’ access to training and qualifications so they can consider driving with Bolt or if they would like to seek employment for one of our many open roles.
Bolt is no stranger to charity partnerships (remember Bolt Helicopter?), and we’re incredibly excited to start this initiative. We’ll be organising volunteering and fundraising events throughout 2022.
Keen to learn more about the Bike Project or help them directly? You can learn more by visiting The Bike Project website.
