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
Philip
Last Name
Dobson
Pronouns
He/Him
Email address
I would like to receive notifications and updates about Go London!, Ashoka, Ashoka Changemakers, and other Ashoka opportunities.
0
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
upCYCLE LDN
Year that you started/ registered your organisation
2020
Initiative Title
Angell Town Community Hub
My initiative is designed for and delivered in London
1
Website URL(s) or Social Media Handles
www.upcycleldn.co.uk / @upcycleldn_
Initiative Stage
Growth (You’ve moved past the very first activities; working towards the next level of expansion.)
Sectors/Themes: What topic does your project most directly relate to?
Health & Fitness
Initiative Summary: Describe your initiative in one sentence
A community-led cycling hub that transforms an underused space into a shared, low-cost facility where young people can access bikes, training, group rides and youth-led activities, making everyday movement and physical activity accessible to those who face the greatest barriers.
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?
Young people in areas such as Angell Town and wider North Lambeth face significant barriers to accessing safe, affordable spaces for sport and physical activity. Many families experience financial pressure, limited access to green space and few local facilities that feel welcoming, relevant or accessible. Traditional sports provision can feel exclusive, structured or costly, while concerns around safety, confidence and equipment further limit participation. As a result, many young people are less physically active and lack safe environments where they can build confidence, develop skills and form positive social connections. These challenges disproportionately affect Black and lower-income communities, where opportunities to participate in structured physical activity are often limited despite high need. Our work is rooted locally. What began during lockdown as a grassroots effort repairing and distributing bikes has grown into five years of trusted relationships through repair sessions, school programmes and community partnerships. This led to securing and opening a permanent hub in Angell Town, transforming a previously underused unit into a welcoming space designed around community need. This matters because access to safe, inclusive spaces for movement supports physical and mental wellbeing, strengthens community connections and creates positive alternatives for young people who may otherwise be disengaged.
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?
Our approach reimagines access to local space by creating a flexible, community-led hub for sport, physical activity and connection in the heart of Angell Town. Through conversations with residents, we heard a clear need for a safe, welcoming place where young people and families can be active, build confidence and spend time together. The area had been without a dedicated community hub since the previous facility, was knocked down around eight years ago. The hub operates as an open, adaptable facility where young people can access bikes, take part in cycle training and join regular group rides. Cycling is used not just as sport, but as an everyday activity that builds confidence, independence and long-term participation. The space is also set up for shared use, enabling partners to run activities such as boxing, dance, fitness and wellbeing sessions. This model increases access to affordable local activity space in an area where opportunities are limited. We work closely with the Council as landlord and strategic partner, and consulted residents and local groups before submitting our proposal. Our bid was selected through a competitive process, based on local need and the value of a multi-use space that can be used by different groups throughout the week. Ongoing partnerships with schools, youth organisations and community groups help ensure the hub remains well used and responsive. The original spark for upCYCLE LDN came in 2020, when a fundraiser to repair and donate bikes showed how powerful practical action can be. The “aha” moment for the hub came later through resident consultation, hearing clearly that the community didn’t just need activities, it needed a permanent space where those activities, and the relationships around them, could last.
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?
Young people and local residents play an active role in shaping how the hub operates and the opportunities it provides. As mentioned, the space was developed following consultation with local young people, families and community organisations, and this ongoing dialogue continues to inform how the programme evolves. We are establishing a Youth Advisory Board made up of regular participants who meet with staff to share feedback, suggest new activities and help shape the hub’s programme, events and environment. This ensures decisions are informed by the experiences of those who use the space most. The hub also creates clear progression pathways. Young people can move from beginner sessions into volunteering, peer support and paid roles such as Ride Leaders or workshop assistants. These roles help deliver activities, support new participants and act as visible role models within the community. Access to the hub is strengthened through referral partnerships with local schools, youth organisations and community groups, helping us reach young people who are not currently accessing sport or structured activities. Many participants then bring friends, siblings and family members, helping the space grow through trusted networks. Residents and partner organisations also help shape use of the space by proposing and delivering activities, ensuring the hub reflects local interests and priorities. By creating shared ownership, leadership opportunities and open access, the hub is not something delivered to the community, but a space built with and increasingly led by the people it serves.
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?
The Angell Town hub has recently opened and is in the early stages of delivery. The space has been secured, fitted out and is now operational, creating new local capacity for sport and physical activity that did not previously exist. Our focus over the coming year is to build consistent use of the space and grow participation through both our own programmes and partner-led activity. Our impact to date has been delivered through our outreach work over the past five years. During this time, we have engaged hundreds of young people across Lambeth through school-based cycle training, repair workshops, family sessions and community rides. Many participants progressed from having little or no experience of cycling to riding regularly, building confidence, independence and ongoing participation in physical activity. This work has also established strong referral pathways with schools and local youth organisations, creating a ready pipeline of participants for the hub. The new space allows us to significantly increase our reach and depth of impact. Instead of short-term or mobile delivery, we can now provide a consistent, year-round base for training, skills development and regular activity. The hub also unlocks additional capacity by offering affordable space for partner organisations to deliver activities such as boxing, dance, fitness and wellbeing sessions, increasing the overall availability and variety of local provision. Based on current delivery, we expect to engage 150–200 young people and residents annually for each £32,500–£40,000 of funding, with a longer-term target of 350–400 participants per year as the hub becomes fully established. Participation, repeat attendance and paid roles will be monitored by our Impact & Operations manager.
Innovation: What is different about your initiative compared to other solutions that are already out there? How is your approach original and innovative?
The innovation in our approach lies in changing how local space is accessed, used and shared. Rather than delivering short-term programmes in hired venues, we have created a permanent, neighbourhood-based hub that acts as shared community infrastructure for sport and physical activity. The space is designed to be flexible and affordable, enabling multiple organisations, instructors and community groups to run sessions throughout the week. This increases local provision without the need for new facilities and helps smaller grassroots groups and freelancers establish and grow their activities. Access to suitable space is one of the biggest barriers facing community providers. By offering low-cost hire, practical support and a trusted local base, the hub removes this barrier and opens up opportunities for a wider range of activities, including cycling, boxing, dance, fitness and wellbeing. The model also shifts cycling from a one-off project or specialist sport to an everyday, accessible form of physical activity linked to independence, confidence and participation. Young people are part of the delivery model, progressing into volunteer and paid roles and helping shape how the space is used. By combining shared use, community ownership and long-term access, the hub builds local capacity and creates a sustainable ecosystem for physical activity that continues to grow beyond a single organisation.
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?
Our approach to sustainability is based on a mixed income model that reduces reliance on short-term grants and enables long-term delivery. The hub generates earned income through bike repairs and servicing, refurbished bike sales, venue hire and paid workshops with schools, organisations and corporate partners. Developing corporate and brand partnerships is a key priority this year, creating opportunities for sponsored programmes, employee volunteering and skills-based support. All earned income is reinvested directly into free and low-cost activities for young people and the local community. Volunteer support also plays an important role in our delivery model. Community volunteers and past participants support repair sessions, group rides and events, increasing capacity while strengthening local ownership of the space. We are strengthening operational sustainability by building consistent usage of the hub, developing long-term school and community partnerships, and growing a core team supported by freelancers who can scale delivery as demand increases. Our plan for growth is to establish a proven “hub plus outreach” model that combines a local base with school and community delivery. Once this model is fully established and financially stable in Angell Town, we will work with local authorities, housing providers and community partners to replicate it in other neighbourhoods with similar needs. Scaling will focus on partnerships rather than expansion alone, enabling shared use of existing spaces, shared delivery and local ownership to ensure long-term impact.
Roles and Responsibilities: Describe how responsibilities are shared among your team or partners.
Phil Dobson (Founder & Director) provides overall strategic leadership, partnership development and income generation. Phil leads relationships with funders, schools, community organisations and local stakeholders, ensuring the programme is aligned with local needs and positioned for long-term sustainability and growth. Tinashe Mandimika (Impact & Operations Manager and Designated Safeguarding Lead – Level 3) oversees day-to-day delivery, safeguarding, programme coordination and quality assurance. Tinashe is responsible for monitoring and evaluation, tracking outcomes, managing data and reporting impact to funders and partners. Silvi Vargas (Head Instructor) leads cycle training, route planning and group rides. Silvi ensures safe, inclusive delivery and supports participants to build confidence riding independently for everyday journeys. Local volunteers, including past participants, support community events, group rides and peer engagement. Our wider partner network plays a key role in delivery and reach. Schools, youth organisations and community groups refer participants and host outreach sessions, while local organisations collaborate on events, family activities and community engagement. This partnership approach ensures the initiative is embedded locally, reaches young people closest to the need, and builds shared ownership across the community.
Upcoming Milestones: Please provide an overview of the milestones that are required for your initiative to come to fruition/to grow.
Spring–Summer 2026 Establish the hub as a consistent community facility with a regular weekly timetable including open workshop sessions, beginner cycling support, group rides and community repair days. Develop operational systems for bookings, safeguarding, volunteer coordination and monitoring. Build relationships with local organisations to begin shared use of the space for activities such as youth sessions, fitness, wellbeing and creative programmes. Recruit and train an initial group of volunteers and young people to support delivery. Autumn 2026 Increase the number and range of partner-led activities, ensuring the hub is actively used across weekdays, evenings and weekends. Introduce structured pathways for young people, including progression from participation into volunteering, work experience or leadership roles. Launch regular family and community sessions to widen access and increase cross-generational participation. Strengthen local awareness through community outreach and events. Winter 2026–Spring 2027 Review participation data, space usage and partner feedback to refine the operating model and pricing structure for sustainability. Secure longer-term booking agreements with key partners and expand earned income through servicing, sales and venue hire. Increase volunteer capacity to support growing demand. By mid-2027 Operate the hub at near full weekly capacity with a balanced mix of open access sessions, partner delivery and income-generating activity. Support 300–400 young people and residents annually and establish the hub as a stable, trusted community asset that can inform future neighbourhood expansion.
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.
Direct project development and testing costs Hub activation and pilot delivery costs to test and refine the shared-use model (equipment, tools, maintenance, session materials and safety resources) – £2,500 Development of partner-ready resources and systems, including booking processes, safeguarding guidance and operational toolkits to support community organisations using the space – £1,500 Community engagement and testing activity (open days, trial sessions and resident feedback) to refine the programme mix and ensure the space responds to local demand – £1,000 Subtotal: £5,000 Research and external expertise Independent monitoring and evaluation support to design a framework for measuring participation, space usage, progression and wellbeing outcomes – £2,500 Specialist consultancy to develop a sustainable earned-income strategy (venue hire, servicing, corporate use and partnerships) – £1,500 Research and partnership development support to explore replication of the hub model with local authorities, housing providers or community partners in other areas – £1,000 Subtotal: £5,000 Total requested: £10,000
