Yay! On Saturday 8th, the Workshop did its 300th bike job - Several done last Saturday, let's say it was the service & repair of the old 3-speed someone brought in. . The workshop's been open just over a year, andthe demand, for the services and facilities, is solid. Most Saturday mornings, the volunteers are hard at work from go to woah!

Bike Check Checklist!  Much of  the work is checking .. people bring bikes in and want to know if they are OK; bikes donated need a check-over to give out; and if someone wants to buy a secondhand bike, it will need checking over before tehy can take it.   Would a short check sheet be useful?  15 or 20 things need testing on almost all bikes. Currently it's left to the person working on the bike - but maybe a check list would be useful, to make sure nothing is missed....  What do people think?

Bikes for Refugees has 3 large "orders" for bikes, due in 3-5 weeks. Half a dozen childrens bikes  for a kids' camp;  4 mountain bikes for a school on the APY lands;  15 bikes for the Australian Refugee Association . We have plenty of donated bikes on hand, is just a matter of working through them.  

Recent additions to the tool kit:  (mostly following volunteers suggestions)

-custom made 10 mm spanner, extra thin, for servicing caliper brakes on childrens bikes, and on some older adult bikes.

-extra sets of tyre levers

-tape measure

-LED torch, (e.g for peering down frame tubing)

-stanley knife.

They're there if you need them, just look on the tool boards...

Workshop also has built up a capacity to offer "off site" support - 'portable toolkits' for organisations to use off site. They can borrow them ; or Workshop volunteers can attend & help keep the bikes rolling. Many organisations are interested in running bike events, & our aim is to support them, so the events can happen.  This year we have supported 1 ride; run 1 or 2 bike-building challenges; and a "Bring and Fix" event with OPAL. 

Funding:  On-going funding comes from sales, and donations. At the end of the first year, Things look OK. Stocks of most consumables are good. Fortunately, very few tool losses or breakages so far - tools are expensive to replace.This good result, is due in no small part, to volunteers and visitors who kindly donated things to the workshop we would otherwise have to spend money on, thus helping keep our costs down. E.g  cleaners, RP7; oil; and occasionally tools!  Balance of funds, was  $466.85, about half will go to re-stock on inner tubes, tyres, and cables. 

       So it looks like the funding model, is so far adequate and sustainable.

Bike Art: does your latest project, street installation, or theatre set, need bike frames or wheels or cogs? Don't waste your days scouring hard rubbish - We already  have them by the box load!