Clifford Chance

Clifford Chance has provided pro bono support to a community-involved social enterprise, Bikeworks, to open London's first Inclusive Cycling Centre of Excellence in Stratford, London. The Centre will provide a unique opportunity to amplify the importance of inclusive cycling through their range of non-standard cycles to benefit over 3,000 disabled people, people with health conditions, and carers annually as a practical solution with which to address disproportionate inequalities.

Bikeworks focuses on the disparity of opportunity in accessing cycling and the inequality experienced by people with disabilities. As a community-evolved social enterprise, born from the idea that no one should be excluded, Bikeworks is in their sixteenth year of using the bicycle as a ‘vehicle’ for good. Bikeworks continue to identify opportunities that ultimately increase physical activity, wellbeing, and connectivity.

During the pandemic Bikeworks repurposed itself to support the most vulnerable and isolated Londoners, with the team being awarded by Public Health England and Imperial College London cycle delivery contracts for their COVID research projects.

To help expand Bikeworks' facilities, reach and impact in the community Clifford Chance's Real Estate team assisted the Centre with securing a 15-year lease of the Centre at its new location in Stratford, London.

Jim Blakemore, co-CEO & co-founder of Bikeworks, said "this paves the way for London's first inclusive cycle centre of excellence and leading to more people with barriers, impairments and disabilities to access cycling".

The Bikeworks Inclusive Cycling Centre of Excellence will comprise of the following core components: sale of specialist cycles, hire of all ability cycles, operating all-ability clubs, cycling for wellbeing and targeted mental health, ride-side-by-side taxi service, sport and competitions, training courses and community and corporate volunteering programmes. More information on these services can be found here.

Bikeworks intends to launch the Bikeworks Inclusive Cycling Centre of Excellence, a visible home in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, this Spring 2023.

The Real Estate team consisted of Alis Pay, Gemma Ebsworth, Rob Donell, Marija Stavric and Ofir Ben-Arzi. The team was supported by Ed Page and Viktoria Parkhomenko in tax, Samuel Comer in construction and Kirsty Souter and Kate Mackintosh in planning, as well as Head of Pro Bono for UK and Ireland, David Boyd.