Enniskillen Rotary Club and fellow Rotary Clubs around Ireland continue to be in top gear in their support for the Jole Rider (Bikes4Africa) project.

Only recently Bike 1,500 - handed over by the Rotary Club of Newtownabbey - was marked during a visit to Loughan House Open Prison at Blacklion.

This initiative refurbishes second-hand bicycles, which have been donated, and delivers them to African schools.

The bikes are ‘made new again’ by prisoners at Loughan House, just over the Fermanagh border, prior to embarking on their new journey in Africa. Enniskillen Rotary Club has helped manage the project for the last two years and is acknowledged for collecting hundreds of bikes.

The bikes undergo refurbishment prior to onward shipment to Jole Rider in Gloucestershire. From there they are containerised and shipped out to Gambia in Africa.

“Your sustained efforts within the Jole Rider project throughout this Rotary year will provide thousands, and I mean thousands, of Gambian children with a much needed bike,” acknowledged a Rotary Ireland representative.

He added: “This simple act of giving of our time, and effort to move bikes, will gift them with the power to change their daily education, and perhaps future careers.” The Irish Prison Service has now fully funded a purpose built workshop for repair of the donated bikes.

Local business, A1 Transport Derrylin is greatly appreciated for its support with the transportation of bikes from Blacklion to England.

During the recent visit to Loughan House, Rotarians from across Ireland, including Enniskillen, were joined by the Rotary President of Great Britain and Ireland, Peter King, and the District Governor of Ireland, Philip Begg. The visitors were able to see the work which is taking place in the Bikes4Africa workshop at Loughan House.

“We are hoping by the end of summer 2015 we will have reached Bike 2000,” said the Rotary spokesman, who is delighted by the success of the project.