Bicycle workshop in Edewecht celebrates successful comeback for refugees!

Bicycle workshop in Edewecht celebrates successful comeback for refugees!

In the municipality of Edewecht, the bicycle workshop for refugees shines in new splendor after extensive renovation. On July 8, 2025, the workshop in the joint accommodation for refugees Jeddeloh I was inaugurated again. Among other things, Björn Meyer and Mayor Petra Knetemann took part in this occasion. Axel Rulfs from the Johannitern and the Mentee Christina Mercedes Opel were also on site to appreciate the improvements. As the Johanniter reports, the workshop was flooded almost a year ago due to a heavy rain event, which had led to serious impairments in the company. Especially in spring the workshop was not usable as usual.

The renovation work included a structural improvement in the premises. Important areas were better separated from each other and clearly labeled in order to optimize the operation. Axel Rulfs even thought about giving up the project, but received important support from his wife and the community, which contributed decisively to revive the workshop. This workshop makes an important contribution to the mobility of the refugees by providing bicycles and thus promoting the opportunity to make contacts without language barriers.

function and offer of the workshop

The workshop fulfills several important functions: it supplies refugees with functioning bicycles and also offers traffic education twice a year in cooperation with the police. Another plus is networking with other workshops and accommodations, which also benefit the refugees. Björn Meyer in particular praised the function of the workshop as a language school, in which not only technical skills, but also social skills are promoted.

The commitment of volunteers is essential for the success of the bicycle workshop. Since 2015, these have been committed to bringing over 2,500 donated bicycles to a traffic -safe state and handing them over to refugees, as the AWO reports. The field of activity not only includes the repair and output of the bicycles, but also the support and integration of the refugees who work in the workshop.

collaborations and future plans

In addition to the Johanniter workshop, other organizations are also committed to enabling refugee mobility. For example, social ride calls the goal of convey knowledge with workshops and promotions for bicycle and bicycle repairs. Current partners such as the Bike Bride project and the Bellvue Radlkeller not only bring in expertise, but also ensure that workshops are open to everyone interested. In the future, Social Ride will seek the establishment of its own bicycle workshop.

The need for bicycles for refugees has decreased in Kiel due to falling refugee numbers. The AWO is currently reducing the acceptance of new bicycle donations because the room capacities are exhausted. Nevertheless, the output of the bicycles for refugees remains an integral part of the program, which takes place on Thursdays during certain opening times. With each bike output, a bicycle pass is provided as proof of ownership, whereby the refugee status must be demonstrated by a document of ID.

The bicycle workshop in Edewecht is not just a place where bicycles are repaired and distributed. It is also an important social meeting point that strikes bridges between cultures and contributes to promoting the mobility and well -being of the refugees.