Residents from our Warrigal Wollongong care home have been living life in the bike lane lately – all thanks to Cycling Without Age Illawarra! The dedicated volunteer group has brought the thrill of cycling back alive for our older people, taking them for bike rides up and down Wollongong’s coastline, enjoying the fresh air and interacting with our local community.

Local volunteers founded Cycling Without Age Illawarra following reading about the program’s success in other towns. They subsequently fundraised extensively to be able to afford the specialised trishaw bike. This trishaw bike has three wheels, two at the front and one at the back, and includes a special secure bench seat up front so that older people with mobility issues can overcome barriers to enjoy the ride.

Positive feedback from the residents has been overwhelming, with participants saying it takes them back to childhood. Especially because they have the time of their lives out in the community, feeling the breeze on their face again! Warrigal Wollongong resident Helen Armstrong undeniably has been a strong advocate for the program. She said, “It takes me back and makes me feel young again… I’ve been on the bike three times, and I am lining up again!”

At Warrigal, we’re committed to bringing new experiences for our residents and customers. With this in mind, our dedicated Lifestyle & Entertainment teams bring this vision to life. We look forward to creating more meaningful experiences in the future, and ensuring older people live their best life.

Cycling Without Age Illawarra needs more volunteers to ride their trishaw bike, so if you’re interested in bringing an amazing experience to older people out in the community, email Paul Taylor at paul.taylor@cyclingwithoutage.org.au