Walking Dead actor David Morissey backs refugee bike scheme

BY TOBY PORTER
toby@slpmedia.co.uk

Walking Dead star David Morrissey hopped on two wheels to support a South London refugee charity.

Mr Morrissey starred as the one eyed antagonist, The Governor, in hit American series Walking Dead, where he was known for his sinister acts of savagery in the show.

But, the British actor put the evil eye patch aside to show a kinder side and give his support to Lambeth-based charity the Bike Project.

The Bike Project provides bikes to refugees who often face a stark choice between paying for food or public transport.

It is estimated that 27,000 bikes are abandoned in London each year.

The Bike Project recycles second hand bicycles and donates them to refugees and asylum seekers, giving them better access to food banks, legal advice, healthcare and job interviews.

The charity was set up with a £10,000 National Lottery grant.

The Bike Project is now one of 49 finalists through to the public voting round of the National Lottery Awards – the annual search for the nation’s favourite Lottery-funded projects.

The London project beat of stiff competition from more than 700 entrants from National Lottery-funded organisations throughout the UK.

The National Lottery Awards celebrate the inspirational people and projects who do extraordinary things with National Lottery funding. Mr Morrissey attended a bike workshop and training session in Deptford on Thursday, July 12, to show his support for the charity.

He helped alter and fix second hand bikes.

He said: “I am in awe of the incredible service that National Lottery-funded organisations, like The Bike Project, deliver day in and day out across the UK. Their life-changing work is made possible thanks to National Lottery players.

“Please take a minute to show your support by voting for the extraordinary finalists in the National Lottery Awards.”

The founder of the project, Jem Stein, was there to meet Mr Morrissey.

Mr Stein started the project after mentoring refugees at university and noticing that one of the biggest challenges they faced was the cost of travel.

He said: “Making it through to the finals of the National Lottery Awards is such an honour, I hope it will create awareness and get every refugee in London on a bike.

“The Bike Project is a simple way to utilise an excess resource to help some of the UK’s most disadvantaged people, and we’re thrilled that our work has been recognised at this stage of the awards.

We would be so grateful if you vote for us to win.”

There are seven projects competing for votes across seven categories, reflecting the main areas of National Lottery funding: arts, education, environment, health, heritage, sport and voluntary/charity.

The winners of the seven National Lottery Awards will each get a £5,000 cash prize to spend on their project. Voting runs until midnight on July 27.

To vote go to lotterygoodcauses.org.uk/awards.