Local business, FPC, propels creation of new outdoor area for MeCycle

Social Enterprise MeCycle benefits from support of the FPC Foundation

MeCycle, a thriving social enterprise café and bike shop based in Ainsdale, near Southport, that provides supported work placements for young autistic people, has recently received a grant of £2,000 by the FPC Foundation to help create an outdoor seating area. The FPC Foundation was established in 2020 by FPC, an independent, chartered financial planning and investment management firm based in Ainsdale for the past 25 years.

Striking wooden planters are now displayed outside the café helping create a protective barrier around an outdoor seating area and bringing a cheerful splash of colour to customers and passers-by on Station Road in Ainsdale.

Established in Ainsdale since 2012, MeCycle was originally set up as a project by Autism Initiatives recycling and refurbishing bikes that had been donated. Since then, it has proven a popular destination for locals and cyclists from around the borough and much further afield!

Located just metres from MeCycle, FPC provides a full range of financial planning and investment management services to its clients which includes entrepreneurs, senior executives and personal investors. The company has been established for over 40 years and in that time has not only helped their clients protect and provide for those who rely on them but also to achieve their philanthropic goals by supporting causes that are important to them.

The FPC Foundation has supported Autism Ventures (the entrepreneurial arm of the Autism Initiatives Group) since 2017, making earlier donations which were used to fund projects for shared interest groups the café supports including vulnerable young adults.

Moira O’Shaughnessy, Managing Partner, FPC, comments: “Our offices are opposite MeCycle so we see first-hand the role it plays and the positive impact it makes in our community. Appreciating the efforts made by the café team to use mainly recycled and second-hand furniture to fill the shop, helping curate its unique look and feel, we were very happy to provide a donation to support its expansion and the creation of an outside seating area. Not only does this increase potential trade, but it also helps make the space a safe and inviting one for customers as well as those on work placements with MeCycle.”

Ainsdale in Bloom’s ‘Village Bloomers’ have kindly added some cheerful flowers to the planters until evergreens grow and spread.

Brenda Porter from the Ainsdale in Bloom volunteer group said: “As the Village Bloomers, we were honoured to organise and complete the planting in the newly provided planters fronting MeCycle, provided by the Financial Planning Corporation. Both organisations are huge assets to our Village and are community orientated, which helps make Ainsdale Village such a lovely place to be.”

Jon Gordon, Head of Enterprise at Autism Initiatives said: “We would like to thank FPC for their continued and generous support. Not only have they made donations towards the development of the enterprise and other worthwhile local causes but also as serving as regular and loyal customers to the café.  FPC demonstrates a real commitment to its local community which is valued by everyone who lives in and uses the village.  We are fortunate to have formed a long-lasting relationship with our friends at FPC, and we look forward to working with them in the future.”