Petrus Pedals Community Cycling Club and Bike Kitchen

Martin Topham with Petrus Bike

The Petrus Pedals Community Cycling Club and Bike Kitchen is set to be launched on Saturday.

Opening at the Rochdale Exchange Shopping Centre, visitors to the store can get help and advice from professionals on how to fix and maintain their bike; there will also be affordable second hand bikes available for sale.

The project aims to encourage anyone to get on their bike more, including service users and the general public.

Martin Topham, Project Leader at Petrus Community, said: “We held an event last month which was hugely successful. A number of service users from our women’s homeless refuge prepared their own bikes in our workshop and then took part in a women’s ride.

“Petrus Pedals is affiliated to Cycling UK and the project is also part of a wider initiative to promote health and wellbeing.

“We are looking forward to the launch event and opening the store.”

Councillor Allen Brett, who is to launch the project at the Exchange, said: ”I’m really pleased to be able to support this worthwhile initiative.

"Cycling is great way to keep fit and anything which makes it more accessible, like providing affordable second-hand bikes and offering advice on how to repair and maintain them, can only be a good thing.

"I would like to congratulate Petrus on the launch of this fantastic project.”

Petrus Pedals is also developing a Dr Bike project which will go out into the community to promote cycling and give advice on repairs.

The Bike Kitchen is open Thursday and Friday each week.