We can’t believe it’s been one whole year since the doors of Draft & Flow Community Cycle Workshop opened on Aberfeldy’s main square.

It feels like just yesterday we were transforming a former shoe shop into a vibrant cycling hub, thanks to the help of volunteers and financial backing of members. From the inception of Draft & Flow, our team’s vision has been to get people riding, and to keep them riding. The past year has shown us just how much passion and need there is for this in our community.

As we celebrate our first birthday, we wanted to take a moment to reflect on the journey, share our successes, and look ahead to a bright future for cycling in Aberfeldy. We’re also hosting a 1-Year Workshop Party on Wednesday 18th June, so feel free to drop by between 5–8pm.

Our Year in Numbers

Aberfeldy faces very real challenges with sustainable transport. The nearest cycle repair shop being over an hour's drive away was a significant barrier, discouraging active travel and missing opportunities for local upskilling. We believe cycling offers a powerful solution to some of the community’s challenges, and the past year's activities at Draft & Flow prove it:

• 700+ individuals (locals and visitors) have been supported through our workshop in the last year.
• We’ve repaired over 450 bikes, ensuring safe, reliable and fun transport for many.
• 120+ refurbished bikes have found new homes, with bikes sold on a "pay what you can" basis to ensure affordability. We estimate this has saved local families £5,500 to date.
• Our collaboration with Tay Valley Connections has led to over 280 days of electric bike hire, opening up Aberfeldy's trails to all. We’ve particularly seen several young and senior residents using our e-bikes to get to jobs and do their shopping, thereby replacing avoidable car trips.
• 1,000+ volunteer hours have been generously given in our first year, from transforming our space to helping with daily operations. Join us as a volunteer, we’re always looking for more helpful hands!
• We've held 8 upskilling workshops, empowering people of all ages and abilities with essential repair and maintenance skills.
• Our 70 paying members signed up in our first year, and many regularly use the tools, facilities, and support available at the workshop.
• Our Social Rides group is fostering a vibrant community around cycling and enjoying our epic local landscapes, and we run monthly Brew With A View ​​events over summer to bring people together over a brew in the outdoors.
• We're proud to have diverted 1.2 tonnes of waste from landfill by refurbishing donated bikes and participating in the Velorim recycling scheme.
• We're now part of the governmental Cycle Scheme, making it easier for locals to acquire bikes for their commutes.
• We’ve committed to hiring our first apprentice in June 2025, boosting local youth employment and skill development.

Meet the Team & Our Grant Partners

Draft & Flow has been a Community Interest Company from day 1 – we’re a business with a conscience. Being a CIC means our assets and resources are used for the community’s benefit, and not for private gain. None of our Directors can receive dividends, and all profits must be reinvested into our community objectives.

Draft & Flow currently has three Directors to ensure its smooth running: Brett De Woody, Jerome Mayaud and Calum Maclean. We’re very grateful to Nick Kelly, one of our founding Directors, for his invaluable help and skills outfitting the workshop. He has moved on to pastures new, but he continues to advise us on how we can improve the workshop.

We’ve been fortunate enough to be financially supported by a host of different funding bodies in the last year. Huge thanks to Firstport, Perth & Kinross Council, the Enchanted Forest Fund, and the National Lottery for their generosity; in total, we’ve received £38,000 from these organisations, a testament to their belief in our vision.

Looking Ahead

The demand for our services is clear. In 2024 we surveyed over 250 locals, and found that 77% desired local bike repair, 58% were eager for educational workshops, and 57% were interested in becoming members of our workshop. We are committed to meeting these needs and expanding our impact.

Over the coming year, we aim to:

• Scale our operations by opening more days and for longer hours (we’re hoping to employ a full-time manager-mechanic for the shop soon!).
• Serve 500 more customers in the next year.
• Introduce new advanced repair workshops and school programs.
• Reach even more underserved groups, focusing on low-income households and schools.
• Enhance our facilities to create an even more welcoming environment.
• Double our environmental impact by refurbishing an additional 120 bikes per year.
• Launch new initiatives like a Cycle-to-Work scheme, an annual bicycle film festival, and maybe even ski repair services in winter!
  

Thank you for being a part of the Draft & Flow journey. Your support, whether through donations, volunteering, becoming a member, or simply spreading the word, has been invaluable. We invite you to visit us in Aberfeldy, join a workshop, or simply stop by for a chat. Please consider renewing your membership too.

Here’s to many more years of getting people riding – and keeping them riding!

Warmly,

Brett, Jerome and Calum