Wexford County Council secured funding via Healthy Ireland for the purchase of two Triobikes (electric bicycles cycled by volunteers and which carries two passengers). Bicycles of this type were first brought to Ireland by Clara Clark of the Cycling Without Age Scheme The Right To Wind In Your Hair - Cycling Without Age, the aim being to give residents of nursing homes and other care settings an opportunity to get out and about in their local recreational spaces.
Wexford County Council have leased one bike to Grantstown Community Village where residents of the community village and day care centre can access the bike to take trips around their own beautiful grounds.
A second bike was until recently located at JFK Arboretum prior to the Covid pandemic. This initiative was a collaborative approach between Wexford County Council, The OPW, JFK Trust and Integer (Lake Regions) whose staff volunteered to cycle the residents of nursing homes
This Cycle without Age Initiative was piloted in JFK Arboretum due to its scenic value and traffic free, wide smooth pathways.
Efforts are now underway to locate the second bike at a suitable location in Wexford. Wexford County Council are inviting nursing\care homes to take part.
Ample volunteer staff to support the scheme is paramount to it being a success. Note: The Triobike must be cycled by trained volunteer cyclists only. Training can be offered by Wexford County Council.
If you would like more information please contact Claire Goodwin Cycling Officer at cyclingofficer@wexfordcoco.ie
Wexford County Council hope that the Cycling Without Age Initiative in Wexford will:
- Cater for the elderly from a cycling perspective.
- Reignite the sense of freedom that cycling brings.
- Encourage the art of conversation between the different generations – volunteer pilots and residents of the nursing home.
- Inspire other organisations/care homes to purchase their own Triobike and offer this type of service to the people in their care.
For more information or enquires, email cyclingofficer@wexfordcoco.ie
