My initiative is designed for and delivered in London
Yes
I am 18 years of age or above, by the application deadline.
Yes
My organisation is a registered UK entity and has a London-based address.
Yes
My organisation is a non-profit (e.g. school, university, or local authority) — not a for-profit, which can only join as a partner.
Yes
If there is a for-profit organisation as a partner in my initiative, they work on a cost-recovery basis only.
Yes
My solution is implemented at scale, or if not, I have a clear business plan, a minimum viable solution (prototype, pilot, or proof of concept), evidence of access to a lease for the space you are leveraging, and evidence of work or impact in London within your coalition.
Yes
I am aware that, if I am submitting more than one application to a Challenge run by Ashoka and Go! London, only one of them is able to progress through the stages.
Yes
Are you an employee (and their children and grandchildren) of Ashoka or any of its respective affiliates and participating advertising and promotion agencies?
No
I have read and accepted the Challenge Terms & Conditions.
Yes
First Name
Ozgur
Last Name
Korkmaz
Pronouns
He/Him
Email address
I would like to receive notifications and updates about Go London!, Ashoka, Ashoka Changemakers, and other Ashoka opportunities.
1
Are you an Ashoka Fellow?
No
Are you applying from an organization founded by an Ashoka Fellow?
No
If you are applying from an organization founded by an Ashoka Fellow, please specify the name and organisation of the fellow below.
Lead Organisation Name
London CC CIC
Year that you started/ registered your organisation
2020
Initiative Title
Family Bike Library
My initiative is designed for and delivered in London
1
Website URL(s) or Social Media Handles
www.londoncyclingclub.org
Initiative Stage
Pilot-Stage (The first activities have happened, and you have proof of concept)
Sectors/Themes: What topic does your project most directly relate to?
Health & Fitness
Initiative Summary: Describe your initiative in one sentence
ParkActive Family Bike Hub reimagines parks as self-access cycling spaces, enabling families and young people to borrow bikes affordably and independently for everyday physical activity.
The Problem: What problem are you helping to solve and who will benefit the most from your solution? How close are you to the problem and/or community impacted?
In Edmonton, Tottenham and Ponders End in North London, many families and young people face structural barriers to physical activity. These are areas with high levels of deprivation, council flats, and limited access to affordable recreational equipment. While parks are physically present, access to equipment within them is not. For many low-income households living in council flats or overcrowded housing, buying three or four bicycles is financially unrealistic. Even when families want to be active together, cost and storage prevent them. As a result, children and teenagers often rely on indoor, sedentary activities rather than outdoor movement. This matters because young people age 11–18 is a critical stage for building lifelong health habits, independence and confidence. When young people lack safe, affordable ways to be active in their own neighbourhoods, inequality widens. London CC CIC operates three community bike hubs in Pymmes Park, Oakwood Park and Churchfield Recreation Ground. However, our current provision is small-scale and limited to staffed hours. Families regularly tell us they want flexible access outside programme times. Commercial bike schemes do not operate in Enfield. Where similar schemes exist elsewhere, they are commuter-focused rather than family-oriented and can create public space challenges. They are not designed for regular, affordable family use. Since 2019, we have supported over 2,500 local residents. As a grassroots organisation rooted in this community, we see daily that when bikes are accessible, parks become vibrant and inclusive spaces. The issue is not motivation - our community wants to be active. The issue is affordable, flexible access. ParkActive responds directly to what families have been asking.
Your approach: How are you/ will you addressing the problem outlined above? How does your solution unlock or reimagine access to spaces for sport and physical activity? What role do landowners, local authorities, or other decision-making stakeholders play in your approach? We'd love to know about the origin of your idea, and what was your "aha" moment" that led you to take action?
ParkActive Family Bike Hub directly responds to the structural barriers - cost, storage, limited access hours and the lack of family-focused provision. Instead of expecting families to purchase bicycles or attend scheduled sessions, we embed affordable cycling infrastructure directly into local parks. Secure smart bike hubs allow families and young people to register once and borrow a bike for £1, unlock it independently, ride, and return it safely before park closing time. Smart locks and monitoring systems enable flexible access beyond staffed hours while maintaining safety and accountability. This reimagines access by shifting parks from passive green spaces into active, everyday movement spaces. The park already exists; what has been missing is equitable access to equipment within it. By placing shared bikes inside the park itself, we remove financial and logistical barriers that prevent young people from being active in their own neighbourhoods. Our “aha moment” came from repeated conversations during school holidays. Families would ask, “Why can’t we borrow bikes anytime?” We realised the barrier was not motivation — it was how access had been structured. We are also strengthening connections around the space. Young people will co-design the system and act as ambassadors. Enfield Council has already provided space and permissions, aligning the project with local health and active travel priorities. Volunteers support maintenance and community onboarding, ensuring the hubs remain trusted and well-managed. By combining community trust, youth voice and local authority partnership, we are unlocking parks as inclusive, accessible spaces for everyday physical activity particularly for families facing the greatest barriers.
Collaboration with young people and the community: In what ways does your initiative engage young people and community members closest to the problem? What role do they play in building the solution you deliver?
ParkActive Family Bike Hub has been shaped directly by the young people and families we work with in Enfield. The concept emerged from conversations in our existing bike hubs. During school holidays, teenagers repeatedly asked why they could not access bikes outside of our sessions. Parents told us they wanted to ride together as a family and teach their children how to cycle. Some parents also shared that their teenage children wanted independence, not just organised activities. This feedback led to the idea of a self-access system. We will formalise this co-creation through a Youth Advisory Group (aged 14–21), drawn from our current riders and volunteers. This group will: • Test the pilot system before public launch • Provide feedback on usability and safety features • Shape the pricing structure to ensure affordability • Help design signage and hub identity • Develop peer-led responsible-use messaging Young volunteers who are already training with us as mechanics and ride leaders will support onboarding events and act as ambassadors in the park, helping new users understand how the system works. We will also hold community consultation sessions with parents and local park users to decide hub placement and operating guidelines. Feedback loops will remain open through surveys and in-app reporting. Because London CC CIC has been embedded in these parks since 2019, we have built trusted relationships with families who face the greatest barriers. Our initiative is grounded in their daily realities, limited budgets, shared housing and the need for flexible access close to home. Young people are not passive beneficiaries; they are actively shaping and sustaining the solution.
Potential for/Evidence of Impact: How do you imagine your initiative will make a difference in unlocking spaces for and access to physical activity and sport so far? If you have already implemented it, what difference have you made so far? What is the impact your initiative has had , and or what impact do you envision having in the future?
Since 2019, London CC CIC has engaged over 2,500 residents through our three park-based bike hubs. Our Bike Library model has already demonstrated strong demand: when bikes are available, families use them immediately. Parents tell us their children spend more time outdoors, build confidence and form friendships through riding together. Our internal surveys show: • 94% report improved wellbeing • 88% feel less isolated • 55% report reduced car use These outcomes show that affordable access to bikes directly increases park activity and strengthens community connection. ParkActive Family Bike Hub builds on this proven foundation by removing the final barrier which is restricted access hours. By embedding self-access infrastructure within parks, we shift from programme-based participation to everyday, independent use. In Year 1, we anticipate: • 3 park bike hubs activated • 500+ registered users • 3,000+ individual rides • Increased independent use of park space The impact will be immediate and lasting. More families will use parks spontaneously, and parents will spend quality time cycling with their children. Over time, this builds lifelong physical activity habits, strengthens confidence among young people aged 11–18, and normalises cycling as everyday behaviour. Because the infrastructure remains in place, the impact compounds year on year without proportional increases in staffing. Our pathway is clear: pilot within trusted hubs, measure uptake and safety, refine with youth feedback, and scale across Enfield and neighbouring boroughs, with long-term potential across London. This initiative does not simply increase participation, it permanently unlocks public space for inclusive, community-led physical activity.
Innovation: What is different about your initiative compared to other solutions that are already out there? How is your approach original and innovative?
ParkActive Family Bike Hub is innovative because it addresses the structural inequality at the heart of inactivity in our community, unequal access to equipment within public space. Most solutions focus on delivering programmes, but we are redesigning how access to parks works. Commercial bike schemes such as Lime and Santander bikes, are commuter-focused and priced for short individual trips. There are very few family-focused community bike hubs in London, and those that exist are often limited to staffed hours. Both models assume either personal ownership or tightly scheduled, limited participation. Our approach reimagines the park as shared active infrastructure. By embedding secure bike hubs directly within park space and integrating a mobile app with smart lock systems, families can register once, unlock bikes independently and return them safely before park closing time. This technology enables flexible, self-access use while maintaining accountability and safety. The equipment becomes part of the space, available when families need it, not only when staff are present. This shifts local norms. Instead of cycling being an organised activity or a private purchase, it becomes a shared community resource, like a bike library. Young people gain independence, and families who cannot afford ownership can participate equally. The innovation is both spatial and digital. We combine ultra-affordable pricing (up to four hours of use for only £1), youth co-design, volunteer stewardship and partnership with Enfield Council to embed the hubs into long-term park management. Rather than building new facilities, we unlock existing public space by redesigning how it is accessed. ParkActive Family Bike Hub changes who can access park space actively and how.
Viability and Scalability: How are you setting your initiative up for success, and what is your plan to ensure operational sustainability of your solution and its impact? What are your ideas for scaling your initiative to the next level?
ParkActive Family Bike Hub is built on a strong operational foundation. London CC CIC manages three park-based bike hubs and engages with so many people. Having secure sites within local parks and have qualified bike mechanics, safeguarding policies, active members, dedicated volunteers, and established partnerships with Enfield Council. We also have a strategic partnership with London Cycling Campaign, which has affiliated groups across all 33 London boroughs. We will pilot the smart self-access model within these existing hubs, reducing start-up risk and building on trusted community spaces. Maintenance will be delivered by our trained staff and volunteer mechanics, supported by clear monitoring and reporting systems. Operational sustainability is based on a blended model. A £1 usage fee contributes to maintenance and system upkeep while remaining affordable. We are also exploring partnerships with sponsors, health bodies and active travel programmes to support long-term costs. The mobile app and smart lock system reduce staffing dependency, making the model financially viable over time. To scale, we will take a phased approach. Year 1 focuses on activating three hubs, collecting usage data and refining the model with youth feedback. This evidence will support discussions with Enfield Council, neighbouring boroughs and potential funders. We aim to build strategic partnerships with local authorities, public health teams and technology providers to expand into additional parks. We are already in conversation with Enfield council officers regarding space permissions and long-term integration. Our long-term vision is a network of ParkActive Family Bike Hubs across London, embedding equitable access to physical activity within everyday park infrastructure.
Roles and Responsibilities: Describe how responsibilities are shared among your team or partners.
ParkActive Family Bike Hub is delivered through clearly defined roles across our team and committed partners, ensuring strong governance, technical reliability and community ownership. London CC CIC leads overall project governance, safeguarding, financial management and community engagement. As Director, Ozgur provides strategic leadership, manages partnerships and ensures delivery aligns with our mission and council agreements. Our Activity Coordinator, Dilek, oversees day-to-day operations, user engagement and youth participation. Technical development will be led by Baran Korkmaz (23), our youth cycling project volunteer, who will oversee mobile app development and smart locking system integration. Baran’s journey is both extraordinary and inspiring. Growing up in the same North London community we serve, he taught himself coding and went on to found ARway, a technology start-up he successfully sold at 18. He brings strong experience in digital product development and systems integration, combining high-level technical expertise with lived understanding of the barriers local families face. Bike safety and fleet maintenance will be led by Alex Vidic (26), our trained bike mechanic. He will manage safety checks, repairs, quality control and maintenance scheduling. Volunteer mechanics will support routine inspections and high-usage periods to ensure operational reliability. Our Youth Advisory Group (aged 14–21) will co-design the initiative, test the platform before launch, shape messaging and act as peer ambassadors. Enfield Council supports the project through space permissions, regulatory compliance and alignment with local health and active travel strategies. Our partnership with London Cycling Campaign strengthens advocacy, technical knowledge-sharing and borough-wide expansion potential. Together, these roles ensure the initiative is practical, sustainable and community-led.
Upcoming Milestones: Please provide an overview of the milestones that are required for your initiative to come to fruition/to grow.
ParkActive Family Bike Hub will be delivered through a phased, outcome-driven approach over 12 months. Phase 1 – Design & Preparation (Months 1–3) Outcome: Ready-to-launch pilot model • Secure formal agreements and park permissions with Enfield Council • Finalise technical specifications for the mobile app and smart lock system • Establish Youth Advisory Group and run co-design workshops • Audit, prepare and safety-check pilot bike fleet • Develop safeguarding, monitoring and reporting framework Phase 2 – Development & Installation (Months 4–6) Outcome: Operational self-access infrastructure • Develop and test mobile app prototype • Install smart lock systems across three park hubs • Train staff and volunteers on operational procedures • Conduct controlled beta testing with youth group and selected families Phase 3 – Public Pilot Launch (Months 7–9) Outcome: Active community use of park space • Launch across three hubs • Deliver community onboarding events • Begin live data collection (usage rates, demographics, ride frequency) • Implement real-time feedback through surveys and in-app reporting Phase 4 – Evaluation & Scaling Plan (Months 10–12) Outcome: Evidence-based expansion strategy • Analyse participation, safety and impact data • Review model with Youth Advisory Group • Refine pricing, operations and maintenance systems • Develop expansion proposal for additional parks and borough partners This staged approach ensures controlled implementation, measurable outcomes and a clear pathway from pilot delivery to borough-wide growth.
Capacity-Building Participation and Support Funding: If you were to make it as a finalist, you will be required to participate in an 8-week capacity building programme. If funding/ cost is a barrier to your participation, we may be able to offer up to 10,000 GBP of grant money available to support you. Please break down below, if it is the case, what costs you would incur and you would need covered. (Please note that there are restrictions on how the grant money may be used; please refer to the T&Cs for further details.
London CC CIC is committed to fully participating in the 8-week capacity-building programme. As a small, community-led organisation with limited unrestricted funding, staff backfill and operational cover present a genuine cost consideration. If support funding of up to £5,000 were available, we would allocate it as follows: 1. Staff Backfill (Operational Cover During Programme) £2,500 Part-time operational cover to maintain delivery across our three park hubs while senior leadership participates in programme sessions. 2. Technical Development Support (App & Smart Lock Refinement) £1,500 Focused development time to refine the mobile app and smart locking system in line with programme learning. 3. Youth Advisory Engagement & Co-Design Facilitation £500 Facilitation costs, materials and modest participation support to ensure meaningful youth involvement in refinement and scaling discussions. 4. Professional Advice (Digital Compliance & Risk Management) £500 Specialist input on GDPR, safeguarding and digital governance. Total Estimated Support Required: £5,000 This support would allow us to participate fully without disrupting frontline delivery. The capacity-building programme would directly strengthen our governance, technical robustness and long-term scaling strategy.
