This is Alex's story. LifeCycle met Alex when he was 56 years old while he was training at our secure bike workshop inside Bristol Prison. Over the weeks he was with us, he started to chat more and eventually started to tell us about his life and what had led him to this place. It's always a great honour to be trusted in this way and we are especially grateful to Alex for agreeing to share his story with you too. Here it is:
For most of his young adult life, Alex struggled with alcohol and drug misuse, which led him in and out of prison. One day, he was arrested for drunk driving and lost his driving licence, so he started cycling to get around, including attending AA meetings. He became known for riding his bike around everywhere:
He felt a lot fitter and happier and kept out of prison for over 10 years. However, Alex recently got surrounded again by heavy drinkers and drug users and his old habits got the better of him. This resulted in his latest prison sentence. Being in HMP Bristol was a low moment for him. He felt ashamed to be 56 years old and back inside. In his moments of despair, Life Cycle’s workshop instructor, John, approached him and asked if he would like to join our bike maintenance activities. Alex was pleasantly surprised to find a bike workshop at the prison..
Alex brought an infectious enthusiasm to his role and it was not long before he was helping others and acting as a peer mentor to a younger prisoner at the workshop, who needed support. Alex had a really good grasp of mechanics, produced high quality refurbished bikes and earned his Level 1 City & Guilds certificate. He was also in a good mental space and had a positive attitude right up to his release in March 2020. He asked if he could learn more and we offered him a place on our Level 2 City & Guilds course later in the year. Alex said:
He has now asked us to help him apply for a job at Halfords so he can work with bikes professionally – which we are really happy to do!
Support our Bike Back project - and change lives
There are so many prisoners like Alex who are desperate to turn their lives around. But prison offers few opportunities as inspiring as working in a bike workshop. Our Bike Back project teaches prisoners new skills and enables them to earn a nationally-recognised qualification. Not only does this provide a pathway away from crime, but it also helps them build up self-belief and sense of purpose whilst inside - so they are more ready to re-join the community after release.