Michael’s life turned around at bike library

He was estranged from his family, faced a life on the streets and suffered unimaginable heartache when someone close to him was tragically killed after being struck by a car.

Things started looking up for Michael after a chance meeting with David Fawcett, CEO of the charity Happy Days who not only provide social housing for those who need it most, but who also run the Happy Days Yorkshire Bank Bike Library cafe and shop nearby Sowerby Bridge.

They were able to offer Michael a place in one of their community housing developments and through the Yorkshire Bank Bike Library scheme he was given access to a free bike.

It was at this point Michael started to turn his life around when he seized the opportunity to build on his love of cycling by volunteering at the bike library.

Michael, 34, said: “I was depressed for two years. I couldn’t cope, I didn’t know how to deal with it.

“I moved to Halifax and it was the first ever place I’d lived on my own.

“I couldn’t keep up with the bills which meant I got into debt, lost my tenancy and ended up becoming homeless. That was really scary, I’d never ever been in that situation.

“Yorkshire Bank Bike Libraries has given me the opportunity to work things out in my life.

“My new-found confidence is brilliant – it’s given me a lot more belief in myself and I can pass this onto someone else as a shining light and build their confidence up, too.

“Thanks to the Yorkshire Bank Bike Library I have a mountain bike free of charge! I want to conquer the world on my bike.”

The Happy Days Yorkshire Bank Bike Library is one of 61 bike libraries and 57 donation stations.

This unique initiative is a joint partnership between Yorkshire Bank and Welcome to Yorkshire, with the simple aim of making cycling more accessible.