Bicycle enthusiast
Whare Bike is Whangarei’s open bicycle workshop and has volunteer opportunities for those interested in bicycle repairs as well as administration work.
Whare Bike operates from a container workshop at the Pohe Island Bike Park and is supported by Bike Northland.
The workshop provides tools and parts for bicycle repairs. Individuals can either fix their own bike or volunteers can repair it with them.
In addition there is a steady stream of donated bikes which need to be repaired or dismantled for recycling. Bikes that have been returned to an operatIonal standard are either sold to the public for a token amount or donated to a charity or community concern e.g. ReSport.
Any money raised is used for the purchase of consumable parts e.g. tubes, tyres, brake pads etc.
The philosophy of Whare Bike is to reduce waste going to landfill - and for people to learn how to fix their bikes themselves - so visitors leave with a functional bike as well as the knowledge to repair and maintain it. Building community resilience and sustainability.
Requirements
Having previous experience in repairing bicycles is great but not essential. We welcome anyone with a mechanical aptitude who is willing to learn about bikes. Nobody is left to work alone; all volunteers assist each other and generally there are 1 or 2 experienced bicycle mechanics at each session who are willing to share their knowledge on the trickier stuff.
Not all roles require practical skills. There are opportunities for people with organisational or administrative skills as well. Arranging bikes for sale and workshop management is an on-going job during each session. Other tasks include recording the details of donated bikes, bike sales and donations.
Volunteers will be made aware of any Whare Bike policies including Health and Safety which they need to understand and comply with.
Time commitment
From 1:00pm on the 1st and 3rd Sundays of each month.
Generally 2-3 hours per session depending on the season, customer demand and the weather on the day.
Getting Started
The first step is to express your interest by filling out the form below. We will then put you in touch directly with the organisation for more information on the role and how to proceed.