Albany Cycling Without Age volunteers ready to roll as group celebrates official launch

Albany’s Cycling Without Age group celebrated its official launch at the weekend after more than a year of fundraising to buy specially designed electric bikes to pedal locals around town.

Cycling Without Age is a global initiative helping people who cannot ride for themselves to enjoy good conversation and the great outdoors by taking a free and accessible ride on a trishaw piloted by volunteers.

The Albany group has now bought a trishaw, with a community benefactor matching the group’s fundraising efforts to purchase a second trishaw.

Albany Mayor Dennis Wellington officially launched the chapter on Saturday at Emu Point marking a milestone for the group — the first regional chapter of Cycling Without Age in WA.

The group’s Albany chairwoman Sandie Smith said the initiative had been warmly received by volunteers and passengers alike.

“They absolutely love it and we have some tremendous stories coming out of it already,” she said.

“We are really about going slow and letting people just really enjoy it, and notice things and stop to interact if they want to, pat a dog that goes past and things like that they just don’t get in their day-to-day routine.”

With eight trained pilots and a crop of new trainees learning the ropes this month, the group aims to secure 20 volunteers to keep the initiative rolling.

In collaboration with local service providers, rides are offered on Thursday mornings and Friday afternoons from Frenchies Restaurant along Frenchman Bay to Black Swan point and back.

Ms Smith said they were looking for volunteers who want to get involved in other roles such helping coordinate the rides and manage bookings.

For information or to volunteer, visit Cycling Without Age – Albany on Facebook or email sandie.smith@cyclingwithoutage.org.au.