This website uses cookies for anonymised analytics and for account authentication. See our privacy and cookies policies for more information.





The voice of Scotland’s vibrant voluntary sector

Published by Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations

TFN is published by the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations, Mansfield Traquair Centre, 15 Mansfield Place, Edinburgh, EH3 6BB. The Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) is a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation. Registration number SC003558.

Cycling scheme which became a web hit to go nationwide

This news post is over 6 years old
 

Cycling Without Age encourages cyclists to take older people along for a ride

A scheme which became a worldwide social media hit is set to be rolled out across Scotland.

The Cycling Without Age movement began in Denmark and encourages volunteers to take older people for bike rides using comfortable and safe trishaws – three wheeled rickshaws.

More than 20 million people have watched a film featuring Falkirk’s Cycling Without Age project since it was posted online as part of BBC Three’s Amazing Humans series.

And now Scottish Government officials are to work with the project to ensure it has the funds and expertise needed to allow the scheme to be rolled out across the country.

A pilot project running in Falkirk is benefitting from £36,000 from the Scottish Government and the European Social Fund.

However social security minister Jeane Freeman has confirmed additional support for similar projects across Scotland.

The minister was in Falkirk to meet older people who have benefitted from the scheme, along with its 20-year-old organiser, Fraser Johnston.

She said: “There is a lot of work to be done on the detail of the scheme but we are committed to ensuring the required financial and official support are available to provide this to older people across Scotland.

“This is a great example of a community project -- built on the hard work of volunteers and generous donations from individuals and companies.”

Johnston said: “This is the first government in the world to give its backing to a nationwide rollout of Cycling Without Age.

“It is fantastic to see the importance the Scottish Government places on supporting older people, as well as their commitment to active travel.”

 

Comments

0 0
Dave Holladay
over 6 years ago
A free to use service of this type has been quietly running for over 8 years in Glasgow - sponsored by Barrhead Travel for roughly the cost of ONE 6-sheet bus stop poster site.The increasing expanse of city centre pedestrianisation makes the delivery of a hop on solution for those who find the long hikes to bus stops, rail stations and car parks, with this low impact people-friendly transport offering, which places a helpful 'people presence' on the street, as the rickshaw riders become a mobile source of local information, and passive policing, as well as providing their sponsor with an approachable 'sales' representative.This could also drive out the scourge of London's West End, where rogue rickshaw riders have been recorded ripping-off tourists with a pay to ride service - make this service free to use (with cash tips optional for good service) and fund the riders and rickshaws through advertising the restuarants and shows, and delivering people to them, by rickshaw.Been working in this area for over 30 years so can advise on many aspects of full transport package.
Commenting is now closed on this post