AN innovative community scheme has been set up at a local park, not only creating a job for a young person but returning broken or unwanted cycles into use.

The Friends of Hardie Park on Hardie Road in Stanford-le-Hope have launched the 'Old Spokes Home' at the park.

A 'spokes'person from the Friends said: "We're excited about this really exciting project enabling the park to help our community access affordable bikes.

"We are training a young person to learn a valuable skill and deliver the service.

"At the same time we can educate and inform our users regarding safe, affordable cycle use, maintenance and travel."

The project's enthusiastic apprentice Ross has already been busy at the park.

He helped set up the workshop in the initial stages and met the project funders Forward Motion recently.

Ross has demonstrated how to repair a puncture to local school children and put his skills to good use refurbishing the many bike donations received from the community.

Ross will be embarking on a Cytech training course in January working towards certification at Level Two.

Cytech is the internationally recognised training and accreditation scheme for bicycle technicians.

Ross says he is passionate about his apprenticeship but outside the world of work is an avid skateboarder and spends a lot of time on the Hardie Park skate park.

The project accepts unwanted or broken cycles from the community and each bike produced is thoroughly assessed, serviced - which often involves a ground-up renovation.

All worn perishable components are replaced and every bicycle independently checked by the project's Cytech-trained mechanic to ensure all bicycles sold meet high expectations.

Low cost refurbished bicycles are now available for purchase from as little as £35 for a child's bike and from £65 for an adult's bike.

The hub also has a broad range of new and used parts/accessories for sale at low prices as well as bicycle servicing and maintenance at affordable rates.

Children from St Joseph's Primary School recently visited the hub, learning how to repair a puncture courtesy of apprentice Ross and his mentor Richard.

You can find out more about the Old Spokes Home cycle hub by clicking the 'additional info ' link below or visiting the project Facebook page @hardiecyclehub.