Peter Guppy took the Town Crier Tim Keith on a joyride in the trishaw around the Parkes CBD on Saturday morning. The idea started in Denmark and has grown rapidly throughout the world to 37 countries with more than 1,500 trishaws in use. Parkes is right on track to get a specialised bike for the community in the near future. Maureen Massey (photo on right) enjoyed her ride with the volunteers from BIKEast Sydney who brought the trishaw to town last weekend. They are Dick van den Dool, Tomamaso Pelle and Adrian Boss.
The Cycling Without Age concept was tested in Parkes last weekend with about 40 people trying it out.
“They just loved it and wanted to go again,” said Peter Guppy, who brought the idea to Parkes and formed a community committee to raise the finances to purchase a specialised bicycle called a trishaw.
BIKEast Sydney brought a trishaw to introduce the concept to Parkes and residents of three residential and nursing homes, and some members of the public were taken on rides. “I was nearly in tears seeing their reactions,” said Peter. “One of the passengers got off and the nurse remarked: ‘I have never seen that person smile.’ The difference in attitude from when they got on and when they got off was just unbelievable.”
Recently retired teacher Maureen Massey hopped on for a ride around the CBD and she said it was very good. “I think it’s a great idea!”
The positive reaction from the community has made Peter even more determined to get a trishaw for the Parkes community. He has already started a gofund page to raise about $28,000. “We have raised about $6,000 so far and if everyone just puts in $5 we can easily get there.”
Peter said the ideal would be to encourage the children and grandchildren of nursing home residents to take out their family members for a ride, and not rely solely on volunteers.
The trishaw will be managed by the community committee, and a Google calendar would be set up so family members and volunteers can go online and book a time they would like to use the bike.
If you would like more information on this exciting project, visit the Cycling Without Age Parkes Facebook page, or if you want to make a donation go to https://chuffed.org/project/cycling-without-age-parkes