Late last year, as a trustee of the Dundee University Student Trading and Innovative Enterprise (DUSTIE, now branded as DRIVE) I was very pleased to learn of the project's success in the recent Keep Scotland Beautiful Climate Challenge Fund - Round 16 awards.
Bogdan Handrea, Project Manager, recently updated me as follows :
- After receiving the first round of funding, it allowed us to buy some supplies for our project, such as bicycles and other office supplies. We currently have 35 bicycles which will be hired out from June onwards.
- We rented a space on the University of Dundee campus, where the Parcel Office used to be, as it was vacant and we secured it until March next year.- Currently we are undergoing the student recruitment process. 6 students will be Domestic Energy Assessors and will provide energy advice and reports to people and students from the West End, 2 will be Bicycle Mechanics, 1 Marketing Assistant and 1 Project Manager.
Last week, I visited the project at its new offices at 75 Old Hawkhill and was delighted to see the progress with the bike hire project. The initial focus will be on bicycle hire for staff at the university over the summer but this will expand into the new academic year to both long and short term hires aimed at both students and staff and the wider local population.
You can find out more about the project by calling into the offices at 75 Old Hawkhill.