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Volunteer Handbook

Welcome!

Thank you for volunteering with Frome Community Bike Project. We really couldn’t do what we do without the generous time given by our team of volunteers. This Volunteer Handbook is intended to outline what we do, how we do it and what you’ll get out of volunteering with us. Before you start volunteering with us, please read this document in full and complete the online Spond sign up form. This confirms that you have read, understood and agree with its contents. 

About Us

Frome Community Bike Project came about after a group of volunteers started organising bike jumbles in support of Frome’s Missing Links, a local charity working to link up traffic-free routes in and around Frome. After four years of jumbles and many hours of tinkering with bikes we realised that there was an appetite in Frome for recycling second hand bikes and a desire to learn bike maintenance skills and to feel more confident cycling around town. We wanted to support people to cycle more and enjoy the great outdoors using bikes. The jumble alone couldn’t offer this additional support and so Frome Community Bike Project was created.

Frome Community Bike Project is a non-profit Community Interest Company that exists to support and encourage people to cycle more for everyday journeys. Cycling is great for physical and mental health, but it also helps to reduce congestion, improve air quality, reduce our impact on climate change and provide a cheap alternative travel option. 

Our aims are to:

  • Refurbish and sell second hand bikes that might otherwise have ended up in landfill
  • Teach people how to look after their own bikes, offer bike servicing and provide a shared workshop where people can use our tools to work on their own bikes
  • Deliver classes to improve cycling confidence and organise social bike rides to support people to continue cycling in the future
  • Support infrastructure improvements to make cycling around Frome a safer and more pleasant experience. We will work towards this aim by donating our profits to Frome’s Missing Links

What we do

In a nutshell, we offer these things:

  • Bike servicing
  • Hourly workstand hire to work on your own bike
  • Membership (this includes workstand hire, discounts on bikes, parts and courses)
  • Bike maintenance classes
  • A place to donate unwanted bikes
  • Refurbished bike sales
  • Ebike loans
  • Cycle training
  • Social bike rides
  • Dr Bike and active travel information stalls at various locations

Finances

Although we are a not-for-profit organisation and rely heavily on volunteers, we still have to pay our rent, bills and insurance, plus we’d really like to be able to pay staff to work for us too. We plan to be financially independent by providing paid-for options including bike servicing, bike sales and workstand hire. We are also regularly on the lookout for funding opportunities to enable us to expand our offer and provide free services where possible. We have already received funds from several successful funding applications.

Health and Safety

To ensure our activities are safe for all, it is vital that everybody understands and commits to our Health and Safety procedures. A summary of the key points to be aware of while volunteering in the workshop are below and copies of risk assessments are available in our workshop or will be sent to you.

  • The Fire Exit is through the labelled door in the workshop or out of the container door. Please ensure that the workshop is kept clear and tidy and that the route to the exit is always clear
  • The fire assembly point is by the bins and shutters on the opposite side of Station Approach, at the back of Dimensions Tiles
  • Drugs, alcohol and smoking are not permitted on FCBP premises at any time
  • If you injure yourself whilst in the workshop, please inform the FCBP staff on duty who will direct you towards the first aid kit. Also record all incidents in our Accident Book or Near-miss Book
  • All hazardous substances (oil, cleaning fluid, grease etc) must be stored in the yellow metal COSHH cabinet after use
  • Gloves and aprons are available
  • Please ensure that all spilt liquids are cleaned up immediately
  • Please wear appropriate footwear, open sandals and flip-flops are not recommended in the workshop
  • Please only lift items which are within your capability and always ask for help if you feel unsure whether you can lift something easily

Volunteering roles at FCBP

We use an app called Spond to communicate with volunteers since we have a vast range of roles and interests within our volunteer team. Spond allows you to join the sub-groups that interest you and within those groups you’ll be invited to join relevant sessions and events. You can then accept or decline the invitation in the Spond mobile app or on the Spond website. 

Below is an outline of our current volunteer roles. Once you’re signed up to Spond and been through an induction you can choose one role or multiple roles that you’d like to try. And if you have an idea that isn’t there please do let us know!

Volunteer Mechanics

  • Fix up donated bikes ready to sell in our shop
  • Learn new skills or share your existing mechanic skills with other volunteers 
  • Experience all sorts of bikes from new(ish!) to vintage 
  • No formal mechanic qualifications are needed as qualified staff will be available to support

Retail assistants

  • Be the smiling, welcoming face at the workshop!
  • Welcome people in and talk about what we do
  • Sell bikes, small parts and accessories
  • Generate invoices for services performed by the mechanics
  • Help with stock taking, organising and tidying the workshop and storage area
  • Days are flexible but we encourage people to work occasional Saturdays so we can open at weekends

Cycle instructor assistants

  • Work alongside qualified instructors to deliver cycle training sessions on roads
  • Learn valuable skills that could lead to a new career in cycle training
  • Support with risk assessments and planning new routes

Ride leaders and assistants

  • Assist during led rides, or train as a ride leader and lead the ride
  • Support with risk assessments and planning new routes
  • Maintain a log of routes and share the schedule of rides

Events team

  • We regularly plan our own events and attend other people’s events
  • This might be a bike sale at the Saturday market or a Dr Bike session at a festival 
  • We need both mechanics and enthusiastic active travel advocates to help us transport equipment, set up, pack down and help during the event

Communications and marketing volunteers

  • Support us to get the word out about our activities and share the joy of cycling!
  • This could include writing press releases, posting on social media and creating newsletters

Fundraising support

  • Do you have bid writing experience? 
  • Or can you signpost us to pots of money that we might be eligible for?
  • Let us know!

Accounts support

  • We are currently doing our own day to day accounts and learning as we go 
  • Any experience and advice would be very welcome

What FCBP asks of you as a volunteer

As a Frome Community Bike Project volunteer, we ask that you: 

  • Treat everyone you meet at our workshop and public events with respect and kindness 
  • Read and agree to the terms in this Volunteer Handbook 
  • Read and adhere to all health and safety advice and our FCBP policies, in particular our Equality, Diversity and Inclusivity Policy and our Child and Vulnerable Adults Safeguarding Policy
  • Act responsibly and within the law 
  • Let us know if you are having any problems or if you have any complaints, concerns or feedback 
  • Meet agreed time commitments and give reasonable notice when you’re not available so that other arrangements can be made
  • Use Spond to confirm or decline volunteer opportunities so we can plan ahead

Photography

As a volunteer you may be photographed or videoed in our workshop or at events. These images/videos may appear on our website, social media accounts or used in press releases, talking about our achievements together or promoting future events. If you do not wish to appear in photos and or videos, please let us know.

What you can expect from FCBP

We are truly grateful for any volunteer time you are able to offer. In return, Frome Community Bike Project will: 

  • Provide support and an induction package to introduce you to your role and to other members of Frome Community Bike Project 
  • We aim to provide a welcoming and sociable space where we hope you will meet and make friends with lots of lovely people who share your love of cycling. We organise a number of socials throughout the year to which all FCBP family and friends are invited
  • Share information about our work, policies and procedures  
  • Offer training and support for your role 
  • Strive to resolve any concerns fairly and in a timely fashion 
  • Respect and listen to your feedback and keep you informed of any changes 
  • Ensure your health, safety and welfare are paramount
  • Frome Community Bike Project or the volunteer can end the agreement at any time. 
  • After 10 hours of volunteering time we offer volunteers 15% off bikes, parts and courses

This agreement is binding in honour only, is not intended to be a legally binding contract between us and may be cancelled at any time at the discretion of either party. 

Workshop procedures

This information applies to everyone involved in Frome Community Bike Project, whether you are a member of staff, a volunteer, you’re hiring a workstand or joining a class. To ensure our activities are safe for all, it is vital that everybody understands and commits to our Health and Safety (H&S) policies and procedures. We have a H&S folder in the workshop containing printed copies of all of our risk assessments and policies. Our policies can also be found on our website here: www.fromebikeproject.org/policies/ Please take some time to read through our polices and the summary of procedures below.

Tools and workstands:

  • We have three colour-coded wall-mounted tool boards containing sets of common tools. Please stick to one colour set while you are working in the workshop and return all tools to their correct tool board when you have finished using them
  • More unusual tools are stored at the end of the workshop near the kitchen cupboards. These are either in the tool chest on the floor or on the worktop. Please ask if you can’t find something. Always return tools to where they came from once you have finished using them
  • If you are unfamiliar with any equipment please ask for assistance, there will always be an experienced mechanic on duty. Misuse of tools can result in possible injury to someone and damage to the tools
  • Please ensure the tools are returned to their correct place, the workbench tops are clear and bikes are removed from the workstand ready for the next user
  • The workstands and tools are for use in the FCBP workshop only. Do not allow tools to be taken off site and please do not bring your own tools unless they are very specialist – we don’t want tools to get mixed up
  • It is vital that the workshop is kept tidy and clear of trip hazards at all times

Workshop etiquette:

Workshop facilities and accessibility:

  • Our premises at Station Approach consists of a log cabin which we use as our workshop and two shipping containers that we use for storage. Currently the containers are accessed by a high step. We plan to build a ramp in spring 2024 to create level access. Please ask for assistance if you will find it difficult to access the containers
  • We collect rainwater in two large containers at the rear of the cabin which can be used for cleaning bikes. Do not use this water for drinking or cleaning mugs or cutlery
  • Access to toilets and drinking water is in the main building where the Rye Bakery is. This will be shown to you when you first arrive
  • Refreshments such as tea, coffee (and usually biscuits!) are on top of the fridge in the workshop. Please help yourself
  • The heaters are controlled by saying ‘Alexa turn on/off the workshop plugs’. Please do not turn the sockets on or off at the wall

At the end of your workshop session please:

  • Return all tools to their correct place
  • Return all hazardous substances (oil, cleaning fluid, grease etc) to the metal cabinet
  • Place all waste in the appropriate labelled bins 
  • Clean up and sweep your workstation area ready for the next user
  • If you are working on a donated bike complete the paperwork and place it in the correct rack – ask for help if you’re not sure where this is
  • Remove your bike from the workstand and return it to the correct place

Events roles:

  • This is for anyone supporting our work that takes place outside of our workshop including Dr Bike events, supporting bike rides or cycle training sessions
  • Treat everyone you meet at public events with respect and kindness
  • Adhere to all FCBP policies and procedures, in particular our Equality, Diversity and Inclusivity Policy and our Child and Vulnerable Adults Safeguarding Policy 
  • All of our policies are available on our website here
  • Act responsibly and within the law
  • A risk assessment will be provided for each event – please read this ahead of attending the event

Contact details:

If you are unsure about anything please ask!

For general questions email [email protected]

For workshop questions contact Alex: [email protected]
For events questions contact Emma: [email protected]

Thank you!