Welcome to the Sydney North chapter of Cycling Without Age!
Update: Thank you for all the support and votes! Voting has now closed, and we are eagerly awaiting the announcement of the Westfield Chatswood Local Heroes program on 13 September – not long now.
Cycling Without Age (CWA) is an international movement started in Copenhagen in 2012. It provides outdoor rides in purpose-designed trishaws for those not able to ride for themselves (aged, frail or disabled people), to give them the outdoor, “wind in their hair” enjoyment that younger and more able cyclists take for granted.
We have seven qualified pilots and access to a trishaw on loan for ride days and are expecting the delivery of our own new trishaw in October or November 2022.
We have received very positive and supportive feedback from passengers, their family members and care home staff. From this feedback and from other research studies we know that the rides make a significant difference to the lives and happiness of our passengers, particularly during the ongoing pandemic restrictions at care homes.
We have established relationships with organisations including care homes, cycling organisations, local council and Macquarie University, and have received letters of support from numerous aged care organisations in the local area. As well as conducting the rides, work is ongoing to map and document additional ride routes, train more pilots and volunteers, and raise additional funds.
Internationally, CWA currently involves over 35,000 trained pilots in 2,500 locations across 51 countries and has provided over 1.9 million people with rides. We are delighted and proud to be a small part of this remarkable movement.
If you are interested in finding out more about CWA or becoming a volunteer cyclist / pilot, then attending a ride event is a great chance to see CWA in action. Chat with fellow Bike North members who volunteer as pilots and assistants, have a look over the Danish-built Triobike Taxi electric trishaw, and see how this partnership between CWA, Bike North and residential care homes helps lift the spirits and reduce the isolation of residents with a leisurely ride and conversation in the open air. Bring your bike and helmet if you’d like to ride along with the trishaw.
Please contact john.kelman@cyclingwithoutage.org.au.
Our History
| December 19 | Work begins to form a CWA chapter to serve the northern suburbs of Sydney, with assistance from CWA Sydney East (BIKEast). Three Bike North members are already trained as pilots with BIKEast. |
| March 21 | CWA ride morning at BaptistCare Macquarie Park (run by BIKEast) – 8 rides |
| April 21 | CWA ride morning at BaptistCare Macquarie Park (run by BIKEast) – 8 rides |
| May 21 | CWA ride morning at BaptistCare Macquarie Park (run by BIKEast) – 12 rides |
| June 21 | Macquarie University route for BaptistCare is mapped, risk assessed, documented and approved |
| June 21 | CWA ride morning at BaptistCare Macquarie Park (run by BIKEast) – 12 rides |
| October 21 | Kick off meeting (online) for a CWA chapter in Sydney’s north – attended by BIKEast, Bike North, BaptistCare, Bicycle NSW and CWA Australia. |
| November 21 | First meeting held with James Milson Village (Woolwich) to discuss re-starting CWA rides there using their trishaw. |
| November 21 | CWA ride morning at BaptistCare Macquarie Park – 10 rides |
| January 22 | CWA ride morning at BaptistCare Macquarie Park – 10 rides |
| February 22 | Bike North executive approves the formation of the Cycling Without Age Special Interest Group to support and develop the chapter |
| February 22 | CWA ride morning at BaptistCare Macquarie Park – 12 rides |
| March 22 | CWA ride morning at BaptistCare Macquarie Park – 10 rides |
| April 22 | CWA ride morning at BaptistCare Macquarie Park – 8 rides |
| May 22 | CWA ride morning at BaptistCare Macquarie Park – 7 rides. BaptistCare CEO Charles Moore attends and cycles, gives strong support |
| May 22 | Fourth Bike North member completes CWA pilot training |
| May 22 | Grant received! Ryde Council approves $5,000 grant towards trishaw purchase. |
| June 22 | Three more Bike North members complete CWA pilot training |
| June 22 | CWA ride morning at BaptistCare Macquarie Park – 10 rides |
| June 22 | Second meeting with new staff at James Milson Village to plan re-starting rides using their trishaw |
| July 22 | Rotary Club of Macquarie Park donate to the chapter at their annual “changeover” meeting |
| August 22 | Westfield Local Heroes finalists are announced. Public voting runs from 2 – 24 August, with the winner to be announced on 13 September. |
| August 22 | The chapter moves to be under the governance of CWA Australia. Our Instagram account goes live – follow us! |
John Kelman & Greg Pointing – Convenors