Photo: Robinson Greig | Unsplash
In December, nearly one hundred cyclists took to the streets of London on the same night — their bags and backpacks bursting with food, clothing items, and toiletries — to deliver them to people in need. “This only happens once a year,” seven-year-old Ben said while sitting atop his own bike. “And everybody helps the homeless. They go on a big bike ride around the city.” The Christmas rideout has become an annual tradition for the C86ERZ — an independent volunteer network founded by Londoner Verral Paul Walcott. But Walcott’s generosity is not just limited to late December. For him, it’s a weekly routine. Since 2014, the graphic designer-turned-philanthropist has been using his platform to coordinate hundreds of thousands of donations from schools, libraries, and households and deliver them to unhoused neighbors. Charitable rideouts are becoming more common and not just in England; versions of this are happening in L.A., Pittsburgh, and Austin. “Ninety-nine percent of people are just happy to receive help and feel compassion,” Austin Bicycle Meals co-founder Claire Harbutt said.
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