Cycling Without Age volunteer Peter and his passengers riding in New Farm Park. Photography: Jonah Rizqallah

Pedal power creates active community

By Jing Yeo Wan

Cycling Without Age (CWA) in Brisbane has been giving free rides to immobile senior citizens to the New Farm Park and the riverside for five years, and it is in high demand.

Ryan Foster, the community captain for the Brisbane Central branch, said: “[The passengers] miss being seen, they miss talking to people outside, and they miss being by the water and outdoors. I think that’s why people keep coming back.”

Mr Foster said CWA is a non-profit organisation founded in Denmark and has expanded globally over the past 14 years, with the Australian branch operating for the past decade.

“A ride is between 20 minutes and an hour long, but usually all the groups book for a one hour session,” he said.

He said some larger groups with 10 people will be separated into two groups and do a half-hour session each, while some groups with only five people can go all the way from New Farm Park to the City Botanic Gardens and back, which takes about 50 minutes.

Mr Foster said he recalled there was a passenger whose daughter took him out for Father’s Day, on his first day using a wheelchair.

As they went for a ride to Howard Smith Wharves (HSW), the father told him that he didn’t think he’d be able to visit HSW ever again when he began using a wheelchair, and that it was on his bucket list.

“I thought, I didn’t know that Howard Smith Wharves would be on anybody’s bucket list, so that’s fantastic,” Mr Foster said.

Mr Foster said there was also a gentleman with a wheelchair who used to ride motorcycles when he was younger.

“He loves being up the front of the wheelchair accessible bike going as fast as possible, and he always asks for the fittest volunteer here on shift because he doesn’t want somebody riding too slow with him,” he said.

Mr Foster said they have about 30 volunteers, some in their 30s to 40s, some retired or semi-retired, who want to keep active and have some social contact.

“We don’t charge for the service, but we stay focused on older people and people with disabilities and their families,” he said.

With the support of the Teneriffe Lions Club and Merthyr Road Uniting Church, CWA is able to cover its maintenance and storage costs, but it also welcomes additional volunteers and donations.

“If you know someone in your life who doesn’t get out into the community as much as they like, just contact us and make a time where we can go for a ride together!” he said.

For more information, visit cyclingwithoutage.org.au. For booking, contact Ryan Foster at 0409518172 or ryan.foster@cyclingwithoutage.org.au.