Amina’s Story – The Bike Project

The Bike Project takes second-hand bikes, refurbishes them, and donates them to refugees and asylum seekers, providing essential transportation and independence to people rebuilding their lives in the UK.

The brief

The Bike Project needed a powerful fundraising film within a tight two-week timeline. The film needed to serve multiple purposes: making an impact at an immediate fundraising event while remaining suitable for their Christmas campaign and beyond. The content needed to convey the transformative impact of bicycle donation on refugees' lives.

The process

Despite the compressed timeline, we began with a thorough planning meeting with The Bike Project team to define key messages and objectives. The focus was clear: demonstrate the profound impact a bike can have on a refugee's life beyond simple transportation.

A crucial element was working with Amina, a refugee who wanted to share her story while maintaining anonymity. We held sensitive preliminary discussions with her to understand her story and establish boundaries for sharing it. Prioritising her comfort and agency, we:

• Arranged a private filming space
• Gave Amina full control over the storytelling process
• Incorporated regular breaks during the one-day shoot
• Ensured she felt comfortable with how her story was being presented

Throughout the rapid production process, we maintained a balance between meeting the urgent deadline and ensuring the content remained meaningful and respectful of Amina's experience.

The Results

The film achieved immediate impact at the fundraising event, becoming the highlight of the evening. Most importantly, Amina was present to see her story shared and was delighted with how it was received by donors.