The Walk Wheel Cycle Trust, in partnership with Nottingham City Council, are helping jobseekers in Nottingham by providing travel assistance and free refurbished bikes.

The Nottingham Jobseekers Project provides travel support for residents looking for work or managing zero-hours contracts. Through refurbished bikes, personal travel plans and collaboration with the Department for Work and Pensions and local partners, the project enables people to access interviews and training without travel holding them back.

Irene’s experience shows how impactful the project has been

Irene is a MSc Psychological Wellbeing and Mental Health student who arrived in the UK at the end of 2025. When she first joined the project, she did not know how to ride a bike. Through structured support and encouragement, Irene has progressed from complete beginner to a confident rider -a transition she describes as life-changing “Going from not knowing how to ride a bike to being able to ride has made me feel like I can do anything.”

Following the bike giveaway, The Walk Wheel Cycle Trust developed a Personalised Travel Plan (PTP) to support her commute from home to her workplace. This included a 1:1 led ride to help her practice the route safely and build road confidence.

Cycling has fundamentally reshaped how she structures her day and travels around the city, enabling her to reach places more efficiently and independently.

The health benefits have been measurable and significant. Although athletic in childhood, Irene previously struggled with endurance. Since cycling regularly, she has noticed improvements in stamina when swimming. She also experienced joint pain prior to receiving her bike and reports that this pain now subsides more quickly and feels manageable.

In addition to better physical and mental health, cycling has strengthened Irene’s sense of belonging. She recently completed a 13.5-mile round-trip group ride to Ruddington Village with Women in Tandem and continues to attend their workshops and events. Through these experiences, Irene has expanded her social network and discovered new areas of the city- noting that she now feels like a “a tour guide” when showing friends around. Irene actively promotes cycling within her peer group and regularly shares photos and updates with her family and friends in Nigeria and the UK. She reflects that, back home, girls are not often taught to cycle as children and for most people, it is seen as a child’s hobby and not a mode of transportation.

For more information about the jobseekers scheme, please email [email protected].