CAN

Injera is made as large pancakes. Use any good non stick skillet you have. Mix both types of flour, salt, and baking soda together. Whisk in the water until smooth. Then add the vinegar and whisk.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Pour oil on a paper towel and wipe the skillet with the oiled paper towel to create a thin coating.

Using a scoop, pour batter into the skillet creating a 6-inch circle. Carefully swirl the pan around to thin out the batter until it measures 8 to 9 inches across.

Cook for 1 minute, then using a large spatula, flip the Injera over and cook another minute. Remove from the skillet and stack on a plate. Repeat with the remaining batter.

Once finished cooking the Injera, cut the circles in half, roll into tubes and stack. Keep warm until ready to serve.

Alexandra: We made and brought Attila’s Beigli. It’s a traditional Hungarian food that’s a bit like a cake and bread and cookie... a mix not too sweet. It's nice, it's full of poppy seeds. Attila is the chef, he loves to cook... I would love to teach people more about Hungarian food. I also like that we came and got ideas for food to make – sometimes we think, Oh no not food again!

Beigli Roll

DOUGH

500g plain flour

100g unsalted butter

100g lard

1 tsp sugar

50g icing sugar

2 eggs

15g fresh yeast

1/2 cup milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp lemon zest

Pinch of salt

POPPY SEED FILLING

250g poppy seeds ground

1/2 cup milk

1 cup icing sugar

2 tbsp raisins optional

1 tsp lemon zest

1 egg

Dissolve 1 teaspoon of sugar in the lukewarm milk, then add the yeast, wait a few minutes until it blooms.

Mix the flour with the butter and lard by hand. The mixture will be quite crumbly.

Add eggs, sugar, pinch of salt, vanilla sugar, lemon zest and the yeast/milk mixture. Knead thoroughly.

Divide the dough into 4 balls, cover and let rest for 30 minutes.

Poppy seed filling: Heat milk with the sugar, bring it to a boil. Take off the heat, add poppy seeds, raisins and lemon zest. Mix well and let cool completely.

Heat the oven to 180°C (355°F). Line a pan with parchment paper.

On a floured surface roll out each piece of the dough into a rectangle.

Spread poppy seed filling on the dough, leaving approx. 1/2 inch empty edges on each side, and roll up lengthwise. Make sure it is not too tight and not too loose. Carefully transfer the rolls onto the baking sheet.

Egg wash: Separate egg, set egg whites aside. Gently whisk egg yolk and brush rolls. Leave to dry (30 mins). Brush on egg white, let dry in a cool place, if possible not in the fridge.

Prick top with a skewer, making sure it goes all the way through to allow vapor to escape. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Keep in a cool, dry place and slice only before serving.

The Giroscope Bike Project returns unwanted or unused bikes back to good use in the local community, while offering people the chance to get involved in bike repair and maintenance. The volunteers get the chance to learn a useful skill set, gain confidence and real world work experience. Curious? EofUs cycled along to find out more…

Adam

I've been here 6 years leading this project. I love how Giroscope are interested in a mutually beneficial exchange between them and the volunteers. They are ultimately interested in the distance volunteers travel and not about selling bikes – although that’s good too. We repair, reflect, refurb, recycle and then resell… anything with a re…which means you better add rejuvenate too!

I am genuinely proud to work for Giroscope. They respond to need. It’s not about bikes but supporting the whole person. They don’t need to make a profit but if they do, they then reinvest for the good of people. Amazing.

You have spoken before about a lack of support for men around mental health?

Yes, that’s true, but men are told that asking for help is not manly and men are therefore crap at asking for help. The bike project is a source of support. We work shoulder to shoulder. We are here to fix bikes and through doing that conversations happen. It's not "let's talk" and fix bikes second. It’s a hands-on activity and that lets us open up about problems.

Our place creates lots of laughs and a supportive environment. We teach things that people need in work, relationships etc. People sometimes don’t have anything…no pride…and that’s what we want for them. But we are not a destination, we don’t aim to have people here forever… it’s a place people can move through in their own time. Moving forward and yes, if they leave and then need to come back, we welcome them. We know life is complicated.

The bikes come from donations, some from house clearances and some we divert from scrap. This means after we’ve done them up, and checked and cleaned them, we can sell them for a good price. And people can then afford a good bike and have fun and get fit. It means that the bike project is part of neighbourhood renewal.

We have volunteers who do 1 day or 4/5 days. Each arrives in different states and for different reasons. Mostly they come via Giroscope. We have had GP’s and ex-prisoners – people who want to give something back, and some who need purpose and focus. People arrive and we get them started. They disassemble bikes, get to know where stuff lives and how things work. Then we progress.

Scott

I came in, not in a good state. I’d survived suicide and had nothing to look forward to. But a little part of me thought give it a go. I had nothing to lose. I think it's good to learn a skill while you're not well. And while doing that you get to meet people. The bike project made me feel like I was needed and worth something. Don’t get me wrong I still have thoughts, I’ve got voices that tell me I’m not needed. But talking to the boys keeps me going. I’ve built an electric bike, a good frame, repainted, added an extra-long seat using an old skateboard so you can give someone a ride. It’s got home made shocks on and I’m telling you, you won’t see another like it. I go miles, it's great. Our bikes at the project are like people that have been discarded and no one cares…their life has ended and they are in the scrap. But we see things differently, we see they can be saved like a soul. Everyone’s different, each has a story and each one is a unique ride. They’ve been through things and we resurrect them. We put them back on the road and give them a second life. I’m proud to help.

I had a breakdown and attacked a police officer. My inner “Red Guy” came from nowhere. I was put in prison. That caused me to realise how important this project was. Giroscope supported me. Marie, my worker supported me. I had no strength to cope but Giroscope rallied round and said they would shut the project if I didn’t come back. It showed me I was worth something. In all I’ve tried to commit suicide five times. The Bike Project is great, but now I’m also involved in Andy’s Mans Club. I go to the one at Airco off Hessle Road. I got involved after a man came in with a bike that needed fixing and talked about the Club. I thought I’d never get through the door. I felt there was too much judgement, I was an idiot, nasty, and no one would want me. Neil, that man, took me the first time. Walking in with him was massive. It was so powerful. I just sat and listened. You don’t have to talk, you can just listen. When you’re ready you can speak. I spoke at the second session. I wasn’t judged and people related to what I went through - I was welcomed into the brotherhood. They are so friendly. I thought I was the only one who suffered, but by talking I saw so many people in the same boat. At the end we were all hugging. I have got so many friends now. We don’t leave a brother behind... that’s our saying. If one of us has got something going on we all go through it. We talk of not being ashamed of our problems. I now take others through those doors. I pass the baton on.

Shame is massive, we try to get past shame. I don’t read and write, I’m really badly dyslexic. I have a lot of shame about this. At school I was always causing problems to get around not being able to read and write and so they told me I was a nasty boy or bad child. I guess I acted out to get away from school. I had ADHD and they knew that. They made me think I was a bad person.

I once talked a man down off a bridge, the police asked me to do it because the negotiator wasn’t making any difference. I have experience and empathy and I saved a man’s life because of that. The negotiator didn’t know, really, what it was like to have nothing to live for. I told the man there are other options. It is powerful to know I did something that many would not or could not have done. I’ve been through this and so I stepped in. People say I’m amazing, but it’s hard to hear your inspirational. I feel humble that people don’t want to take their lives because I’ve helped them or talked to them or shown a different way.

Jake

I’ve volunteered for 4.5 years. I have anxiety and was nervous to meet people. When I first came I wouldn’t get out of the car. But now I’m here talking to you and I like talking to people. I’m proud of myself. I love bikes and making them. I was a BMX kid then I fell and broke my wrist and leg, so that was it for me. I now go mountain biking - I’ve built me own bike. My ambition is to keep working here! On the board in the office they put our name on the days we are due in. But I come in on my days off.

“Jake’s a skilled rider. He is also really good at building wheels, he can see patterns and this means he’s really good at it. We notice what people are good at and build on that”.

Adam