Volunteer Awards 2019 Finalist - David Howells of Monty's Bike Hub

After coming on board not long after Monty's Bike Hub was set up as a social enterprise in 2016, David has been volunteering for it ever since. Through tinkering with bikes and mechanical issues all his life, David has become a very knowledgeable member of the team.

David always has a smile and a funny quip for everyone at Monty's

David spends much of his time fixing up donated bicycles for Monty's to sell on to Southampton locals, sometimes even taking bikes home to fix in his spare time. He also works at Monty's adult bike drop-in service and shows local youngsters how to fix up their own bikes on Thursday evenings. Not only is he a dab hand at fixing bikes, he has also come to the rescue concerning emergency repairs to Monty's itself: repairing toilets, completing some wood repairs and clearing out the workshop when it once flooded after a heavy downpour.

He is also the main fixture for Monty's mobile Bike Dr service, often using his trusty trailer to transport tools and equipment from one location to the next.

The fact that David is able to provide all of these valuable services as a volunteer makes a big difference and allows the social enterprise to turn a profit.

David is an extremely valuable volunteer and quite frankly, Monty's couldn't run without him!

David Howells is a finalist in the Exceptional Individual - Community Project category of the 2019 Cycling UK Volunteer Awards, which will be announced on Saturday 15 June.