Cycling World Magazine March 2016 | Page 102

102 | Cycling World

IT ’ S NOT YOUR ORDINARY CYCLE SHOP ?

Cycling World learn about the great work and progress Bespoke are making to change people ’ s lives

Bespoke Cycles , near Wythenshawe in South Manchester , is not you ordinary cycle shop . Although its range includes some new and unused bikes , most of its stock is made up of previously-owned cycles , refurbished by a small team of apprentice mechanics . Many of these young men have been in prison or started life with a significant disadvantage – so you could say both bike and bike mechanic have been given a new lease on life .

Bespoke is part of the Message Enterprise Centre ( MEC ), an initiative of The Message Trust Youth Charity in Manchester . Opened in 2013 , the MEC is a unique business hub designed to create new training opportunities and jobs for ex-offenders and other young people who need a second chance in life . In the businesses – which also include an onsite café , a hair and beauty salon and a building maintenance company – experienced manager ’ s work alongside apprentices who receive on-the-job training and a salary ? Some stay only for a short period of time until another opportunity opens up ; others stick around and grow with the businesses . ‘ Our team meets hundreds of young people every year who are serious about changing their ways ,’ explains The Message Trust ’ s founder and CEO Andy Hawthorne . ‘ But no matter how much we hope and pray for a particular young person to stay on the right track when they leave prison , if they go straight back to the same home town and the same circle of friends , with no job and no support , chances are they will eventually turn back to crime . The “ revolving door ” of prison really does exist , and too many people we cared about were getting stuck in it . So we decided we would do something about it .’
Over the last two years , the MEC has seen real success in helping ex-offenders and young people others have given up on . One such is Brian Curtis , who first came into contact with The Message Trust while he was in rehab following an increasingly destructive 17-year drug addiction . ‘ From the age of 11 , I was hanging around with the wrong people - burgling houses to begin with , progressing on to selling drugs ,’ remembers Brian . ‘ I was knocking about with the biggest gangsters in Newcastle , doing hundreds of pounds of heroin and cocaine a day . Obviously I did a lot of jail time . ‘ It took until I was at rock-bottom before I saw the light . The last time I OD ’ d I had to be injected with adrenaline in my heart because I had technically been dead for three minutes . It was in a Rehab Centre called Betel where I found God and began to rebuild my life .’
Brian , who trained as a joiner while in prison , hopes to start his own furniture business in due course . But for now , Bespoke offers steady work , a safe place to live , a mentor and supportive colleagues . ‘ It felt amazing to get my wage packet at the end of my first week ’ s work ,’ he says . ‘ It ’ s good to be working , learning new things , meeting new people . This is going to be a good year for me – a year of growth .’ Bespoke Cycles offers a range of new and refurbished cycles , bike parts and accessories . The shop can be found at the Message Enterprise Centre , Harper Road , Sharston , Manchester M22 4RG . They also offer a range of bikes for sale online through their eBay shop .
www . bespokemanchester . com