Tuesday, February 23, 2021

1000 not out for Bookbike London

With community support needed more and more during the pandemic the Bookbike London project has reached the 1000 book milestone. 

I founded the project, which operates in Barking & Dagenham, Tower Hamlets, Newham, Redbridge and Hackney to share books by cycle with people who are unable to access libraries or reading matter. 


This was launched one year ago at the Barking Learning Centre alongside Zoinul Abidin, Head of Universal Services.


The project has seen huge success and during the course of the pandemic #bookbikelondon has adapted to include delivery of food parcels to vulnerable neighbours and families, transported medicine and clothes too. 


This was meant to be a small hobby, a local cycle project to link my passion for community work with my physical wellbeing activities. Things have picked up nicely with 1000 books shared. During the pandemic we have adapted operations to include Foodbank runs too amongst other things.


During the current school half term holiday the Barking Learning Centre supported Bookbike London with a pioneering project to provide local children with books and during the course of the half term holiday I have shared 198 books with families. 


It was the idea of Zoinul Abidin, Head of Universal Services, Barking & Dagenham and the catalyst for this recent sharing streak. It’s enabled me to reach the 1000 book milestone and as I’ve been on annual leave I’ve been able to share almost 200 books. 


Thanks to Zoinul and the BLC for such fabulous support - It is an inspirational project which echoes Marcus Rashford and the school meals campaign. I’m fortunate and grateful to have such support and I’m sure local, national and global libraries will be inspired to follow the lead of the Barking Learning Centre and engage in this manner with communities suffering deprivation.


Zoinul Abidin heads up the Barking Learning Centre and with regards to the recent books for school kids campaign he said, “We are very glad to help such a simple but effective movement. Bookbike London shares our vision of promoting a passion for reading. It makes us specially happy that so many local children have benefitted from this partnership.”


Bookbike London is an innovative community project which delivers books free of charge to elderly residential homes, hostels, hospital wards and local organisations in East London.


(Muhammad Talha: East London News)


Twitter @emdad07

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