A group of Renfrewshire sheltered housing tenants have been able to enjoy the great outdoors thanks to the launch of a new trishaw.
The launch of the new trishaw, funded through Sustrans Scotland’s Scottish Greenways programme, has helped sheltered housing tenants rediscover a much-loved local greenspace.
The Forever Young community group, made up of sheltered housing tenants in Renfrewshire, have launched their new, electric bike-powered trishaw.
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The three-wheeled cycle has been made available for Forever Young group members and local elderly residents to access a nearby, traffic-free section of National Cycle Network Route 7 and relive memories by visiting nostalgic locations they had not previously been able to reach.
The project was possible thanks to the collaboration of Sustrans Scottish Greenways programme, Forever Young, Renfrewshire Council, and Own Yer Bike.
Renfrewshire Council’s Sally Logan, the founder of Forever Young, explained: “Pre Covid, we were able to take residents down onto the National Cycle Network path.
“But then the pandemic hit and their mobility deteriorated.
“We saw the need to get them back out into the fresh air.
“When we read an article about rickshaws in Glasgow Green, we thought this would be an amazing way of getting our tenants back outdoors”.
It’s hoped that the purchase of the trishaw will now allow the tenants to see places that they haven’t been able to reach for years and combat social isolation.
The trishaw is powered by an electric bike, making it easy to ride and comfortable for passengers.
It also features a storage drawer underneath the seat — and the trishaw will be used in future to help residents with limited mobility shop for groceries.
Ros Gibbons, Greenways Development Coordinator at Sustrans, added: “The trishaw project has brought together community groups and people of different generations on the Paisley to Johnstone section of National Cycle Network Route 7.
“The smiles and laughter at the launch event said it all.
“Trixie the trishaw is going to be well used.
“It has been a privilege to work with the community on this project”.
At the launch event, Own Yer Bike volunteers took Forever Young members on trips along the nearby traffic-free National Cycle Network route, which runs along a former railway line.
The tenants enjoyed their rides along the path and explored local places that had previously been too far away for them to reach.
One Forever Young group member said: “This is really good – I really enjoyed that”.
Another described their ride on the trishaw as “brilliant”.
The Forever Young group secured funding for the trishaw through Sustrans Scotland’s Greenways programme.
The Scottish Greenways programme promotes walking, cycling, and wheeling by listening to and working with communities to make traffic-free National Cycle Network routes more attractive, appealing and accessible places for everyone.
Sally added: “We have already had some amazing feedback from our tenants.
“They have told us how much fun they had on the trishaw and that they hope to be able to get back out on it soon.
“We are hoping that this will attract more tenants and community groups onto the traffic-free path and are also open to other community groups using the trishaw.”
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