Saturday 16th June and 23 June have been quiet, not many visitors. We have taken the chance to have a good tidy up.

The workshop remains open Saturdays 9 to 12. All welcome to visit.

Might have mentioned this before - but the Workshop depends for on-going funding, on donations from the public, for e.g use of the facility; getting secondhand bike parts; etc. The donations are voluntary -  volunteers feel,  they have been there for the cycling community, and tried to put something in - it would be nice, if visitors who use the workshop, also  put something back. 

If you make a donation, you help  the workshop remains open.  Donations help other people  like you, who enjoy cycling. They helps keep cyclists on the road, and generally there really is "safety in numbers". Also the workshop will be there for you and your friends in future, if you need it. 

it  would be nice to run the workshop without money entirely. We try to keep costs low, but  there are some expenses we  ca'nt avoid.

1.   Even a quick visit, someone will use tools, maybe a bolt or cable cap, and will and want to wash their hands afterwards.  We buy in Solvol grease remover, and we top up RP7 and oil.  
2. Every time a tool is used, it wears or may break. All tools will need replacing eventually. So far,  two spanners have broken, along with one or two crank extractors ...
3. Also there is cost of maintaining a stock of  new parts that are used often, ie cables, inner tubes tyres, cable ends. In general we expect people to pay the price at cost,w hich is usually well below retail. But we need a certain amount of float, to keep  stocks on hand and to replace those used. 
4. Also we get  a few visitors who genuinely cannot afford to pay . Part of the workshop's role in the community is to help   - and we need a bit extra from others,  to do this

For the time being  donations are voluntary,   amount up to the donor. We have not set a fixed scale of fees. This is friendlier, helps build trust in the cycling community, means volunteers can   spend time working on bikes, rather than drawing up bills, or having to organise fund-raising events. It also means, we don't have to ask people about payment, and we don't have to turn anyone away.   

As long as this raises enough to cover costs - we'll keep going thi . Otherwise, we may have to draw up a scale of charges. Or insist on a minimum contribution. 

If you wish to make your donation -  there  is a small donations box in the workshop,  cleared regularly.   Funds  pay for consumables e.g soap, oil, RP7, tape, etc etc; stocks of parts; and replacing tools.  Workshop funds are separate from the schemes that use the workshop e.g Bikes for Refugees. Those schemes pay for parts they use; and also put something back, though often this is  in-kind, e.g help with necessary administration tasks..... 

The strategy has two risks though.

• it may not raise enough - in which case, we'll need to organise a fund-raiser at the end of the year, and  for the following year start charging.
• The other, is a few people take advantage of it. They knew how we operate; got help; but didnt give anything back, not even a 'thank you'.  an  I can forgive the occasional lapse; some people perhaps genuinely couldnt pay; but that still leaves one or two who looked like they clearly could afford to put a bit back in to help others - but chose not to. I find that disappointing, and also the volunteers, when that happens, feel very demoralized. Fortunatley, not many of them.... but....   .

Would be interested to hear people's thoughts . The arrangements seem to have worked OK for this the first year, and the $500 or so raised, might just be enough to cover things. However it will be fairly tight, and we could probalby do with a bit more in future. 

Just to be clear - you can also give back to the workshop by volunteering time, or by donating things. However, if you want to just come and get something fixed or looked at - probalby simplest if you can give us cash!