Who we are
I first saw Cycling Without Age on breakfast television and was so impressed by the message and the method that I decided it is just what we need here in Skegness. We have a high population of elderly people, a wonderfully flat landscape and of course the sea! In October 2017 I became an affiliated member of this exciting scheme. I have recruited volunteer colleagues to help me to spread the word and we are trying to raise funds to buy two trishaws. Our trishaws are to be used for outings for the elderly and other isolated people in our local community.
Our Team
Sarah Mochan, Chris Sweeney, John Irving and Lucy Lees.
The Right to wind in your hair
We are part of ‘Cycling Without Age’ who are a not for profit, voluntarily led group. We hope to emulate the many amazing ‘chapters’ around the world. Cycling Without Age is a movement started in 2012 by Ole Kassow, of Denmark. Ole wanted to help the elderly get back on their bicycles, but had to find a solution to their limited mobility. The answer was a trishaw. He started offering free bike rides to local nursing home residents. This has since evolved and now serves all vulnerable corners of society in over 33 Countries. Cycling Without Age is a free service to help create new relationships between generations, involving the community and improving quality of life for the elderly. Each local chapter is run by volunteers with our guiding principles of generosity, slowness, storytelling, relationships and without restriction of age.
What we are trying to do
Our volunteer pilots take local elders and care homes residents out on ‘trishaw’ cycle rides to feel the wind in their hair. We hope to bring generations closer together using special trishaws (three-wheel cycles with a passenger cab out front). They have electrical power assist, so you don't have to be super-sporty to be a volunteer cycle pilot! Our rides are comfortable, fun and free.
Why is this important?
They enable people to experience the town and nature close-up from the bicycle. There is opportunity to regain social connection and for people to tell their stories in the environment where they have lived their lives. Our work builds bridges between generations and reinforces trust, respect and the social glue of our society. Our cycle pilots and passengers enjoy the physical and emotional well-being benefits. The joy of riding in the trishaw cab stimulates spirits to fly and stories to flow .
How is this going to work?
We have set ourselves an inital target of two trishaws for our chapter. By donating to the project or pledging a reward you can help us get this worthwhile and exciting project up and running in your local area. If you would like to volunteer to become one of our trishaw pilots, you can contact me at the top of the page (see button).
The Trishaw
Each trishaw costs around £6000 each. This includes the blanket and rain hood. Each has a motor so that the "Pilot" does not have to be super fit! In fact it is preferred that the bikes are ridden slowly to enable maximum interaction with the rider and the pilot as well as the general public along the the route.
Cycling Without Age facts
• Established in 2012 in Copenhagen
• Represented in 37 countries worldwide
• 450 + chapters
• 1,500 + trishaws
• 10,000 + trained cycle pilots
• Over 50,000 elderly people have been on rides
• Oldest pilot is 89 and oldest passenger 106
• Our trishaws cycle 2.2 million km a year or 53 times around the world
How you can help
Please Consider donating to our project. Together we can start improving the lives of local people in Skegness. Why not give a donation instead of a Christmas present? You will be helping so many elderly and isolated people get out and about. Togethor we can build many new relationships within our community.
Alongside raising the funding for our trishaws we also seek volunteer pilots, helpers and businesses who can help spread awareness of our exciting project. Together we can make a difference.
(Photos by John Taylor)