26 town council cleaners receive bicycles refurbished by Republic Poly students so they can commute around estate

Commuting around Nee Soon will soon be significantly easier for 26 cleaners, for they'll be sporting newly refurbished bicycles as they go about their daily rounds.

Of the 26 bicycles, 11 were donated by aerospace manufacturer Pratt and Whitney as part of their corporate social responsibility efforts.

The remaining 15 were salvaged by Nee Soon Town Council (NSTC) after they were abandoned by residents.

The bicycles were then given a new lease of life by 45 Republic Polytechnic (RP) students.

The cleaners were identified by NSTC to receive the bicycles based on factors such as age and mobility.

"Some of our younger cleaners are tasked with work that requires them to commute frequently within the estate. Hence, we nominated them to be beneficiaries of this initiative as this can greatly help them in their work," a spokesperson from the NSTC told Mothership.

Re-cycling indeed

The refurbishments took place on Oct. 12 at the town council's "Cycle It Forward @ North West" event in Khatib.

Under the guidance of their lecturers, RP students were tasked to check the condition of bicycle parts and replace them when necessary.

Thereafter, the bicycles were cleaned to remove dirt and rust.

To ensure the safety of the bicycles for its new users, the students also took them on a short spin to check its working condition.

Student volunteer Samuel Lee, a Year 2 Engineering student at RP, shared his joy in participating in the project.

"I love cycling and bicycles, and I would love to use my knowledge and skills to share my passion and bring a positive impact to our society," said Lee.

Fellow volunteer Wu YuEn echoed his sentiments, recounting how they faced challenges during the process but ultimately overcame them.

"When we encountered a seriously broken part, my buddy and I didn't give up [...] through team effort, we successfully refurbished it," he added.

"I had a lot of fun with this project."

Penning wishes for a greener Singapore

Attendees were also encouraged to pen down their wishes for a greener Nee Soon.

Vice Chairperson of Nee Soon Town Council Carrie Tan emphasised the importance of community involvement, and shared how the council is "always looking at ways to involve the community in our sustainable initiatives."

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Top image courtesy of  Nee Soon Town Council