Rickshaw rides 'a joy' for care home residents

Co-founder Ant Bolding (left) has seen the rides grow in popularity, with 28 volunteers now helping out

Keen cyclists Ant and Liz Bolding took a £11,000 gamble when they bought a rickshaw to give care home residents a chance to get outdoors.

They dreamt of taking people who would normally spend most of their time indoors out for a spin in their hometown of Congleton, Cheshire.

Four years, 28 active volunteers and thousands of pounds of funding later, the Beartown Rickshaw diary is packed with free weekly rides for residents and carers at seven care homes and two day centres.

"I'm very proud. When I thought of the idea four years ago, I didn't think it would turn into this," Mr Bolding, a retired software engineer, said.

"That's what I wanted to do, find people that don't get out much, and care homes is an obvious place."

In 2021, Mr Bolding saw a BBC documentary online titled Amazing Humans, featuring a medical student who rode a rickshaw to help others combat loneliness.

"And I thought, that's what Congleton needs - a rickshaw," he said.

Together with his wife, they bought the cargo bike with two passenger seats at the front.

"At that time, we didn't actually have a penny... a bit of a risk," he said.

Thankfully, the National Lottery, Enclosure Trust and Congleton Town Trust offered funding after learning about the project.

Volunteer Anne Tanner said: "We pick up the resident and take them with their carer around Congleton, into the park, into the countryside and back. It's about three miles.

"It's the joy that comes with it. The residents are lovely, you meet loads of great characters, they have wonderful stories to tell, they love looking at nature, and it's really fun.

"From a selfish point of view, you feel really rewarded in yourself, and then you've made someone else's day joyful, so it's a win win."

Angela Brough said the rickshaw rides sparked conversations with care home residents

Clayton Manor was the first care home to take them up on their idea, which wellbeing and activities coordinator Angela Brough described as "absolutely fabulous".

"We love coming out with [the residents] as well," she said.

"It's a little bit of adventure and pleasure.

"It's just run by a group of fabulous volunteers. They 're so dedicated and they make us feel special every time we go out."

Mr Bolding said safety was always a major consideration.

Trips out include a care home worker partnering the resident on the journey, while a second bike also accompanies them on the route.

Ongoing fundraising covers public liability and other insurance, as well as maintenance costs for the cargo bike.

Since its launch, the organisation has grown in the number of volunteers and clients.

The group's next hope is to find individuals in Congleton who live in their own home but would relish a free ride in a rickshaw.

"I'm actually just blown away by it all really, and the people of Congleton are fantastic," Mr Bolding said.