Guest Blog: Cycling Without Age

Cycling Without Age - Trafford

Three women in Trafford, Greater Manchester have set up a voluntary community group called Cycling Without Age Trafford (CWA Trafford). You may have heard about Cycling Without Age through social media or on the Pride of Britain awards, or watched Fraser Johnston in his BBC Three documentary (http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcthree/clip/63c3faf8-bb2a-4b8d-a072-a3b5cace5597).

Cycling Without Age is a joy spreading movement that changes the everyday life of residents at nursing homes and assisted living facilities. It was started in Denmark in 2012 and is spreading to towns and cities around the world. To bring CWA to Trafford will show the people here that cycling has no age and that everybody has the right to get wind in their hair.

Kate Elliott, Karen Henson and Jennifer Blears from CWA Trafford want to decrease loneliness for the elderly and other isolated members of our community by taking them out on these bike rides. The scheme will bring generations closer together using very special Trishaws (three-wheel cycles with a passenger cab out front). Our principles are generosity, slow cycling, storytelling, relationships and community. Our rides will be comfortable, fun, fully insured and free. They will enable people to experience the city and nature close-up from the bicycle.

At the moment we are still fundraising to buy our first Trishaw to set up the Trafford Chapter and are seeking funding opportunities and sponsors. We hope to have the Trishaw by summer. We would love to bring the bike along to chatty cafes and take people out for a spin or pick them up from their home to bring them to the café to meet others.

Once we have the Trishaw we’ll be looking for volunteer Pilots and then we’ll be off!

You can find us on:

Twitter: @cwatrafford

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cwaTrafford/

Contacts

Chapter Captains:

Kate Elliott, Karen Henson and Jennifer Blears

cwatrafford@gmail.com