About US
Why Cycling Without Age?
We believe in having fun regardless of your age or ability.
Cycling Without Age is a global movement that connects the elderly and those less able, with trained volunteer pilots who provide rides on trishaw ebikes.
Cycling Without Age challenges ageism, or discrimination based on a person’s age. It does so by creating relationships between generations, between trishaw pilots and passengers.
NovaCare is proud to coordinate Cycling Without Age Hunter. Our aim is to ensure our senior citizens and less mobile citizens can remain an active part of society and the local community.
We do this by providing free trishaw rides along safe and well established routes in the Newcastle and Lake Macquarie local government areas. We also support our community by involving local businesses, working with a diverse group of passionate volunteers and bringing people together to celebrate life.
NovaCare: Serving our community for over 30 years
For over 30 years, NovaCare Community Services Ltd has provided services to the elderly and vulnerable people under the Government’s Home Care Packages and Commonwealth Home Support Programs. Your choice to remain living independently at home has the full support of NovaCare. We are focused on a whole of life approach for your home, health and happiness, and to staying connected with your community
We are a Hunter based, not for profit organisation that has been recognised for leading the state in excellence in aged and community services. We operate in Newcastle, Lake Macquarie, the Lower Hunter and Port Stephens.
NovaCare is committed to working towards the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s) and has identified the following goals as relevant to the Cycling Without Age initiative:
SDG 3: Good Health and Wellbeing (promote mental health and wellbeing)
SDG 10: Reduce Inequalities (empower and promote social inclusion irrespective of age)
SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities (provide access to safe, affordable, accessible and sustainable transport for all).
“While many of our clients no longer have the physical ability to get back on the bike, Cycling Without Age takes them on board. ”
CWA International
In 2012, Ole Kassow decided that he wanted to help the elderly people of Copenhagen, Denmark get back on their bicycles to make them feel a part of the local community, but he had to find a solution to their limited mobility. The answer was a trishaw, and he started offering free bike rides to the local nursing home residents.
Starting with just five trishaws, the program has now spread to another 39 countries around the world. At present there are more than 3,050 chapter locations around the world offer Cycling Without Age from well over 4,900 trishaws – and the numbers are still growing.
“‘We do that by giving them the right to wind in their hair, the right to experience the city and nature close up from the bicycle and by giving them an opportunity to tell their story in the environment where they have lived their lives.’”
More than 39,000 trained pilots ensure that the elderly get out of their nursing homes, out on the bikes to enjoy the fresh air and the community around them.
Our mission is to build bridges between generations and help prevent loneliness. We provide elderly people with an opportunity to avoid social isolation and remain active in their community by taking them out on bike rides and allow them to feel the wind in their hair!
Vision
To enable safe, free and universal access to Cycling Without Age rides for people not able to ride themselves in our local community
Principles
Passengers must not be charged
Rides are for all those in the community who cannot ride themselves
Services should be operated and managed by the community they serve
Objectives
Develop partnerships across our community
Develop good practice and governance of the program
Ensure ongoing financial sustainability
From Denmark to Australia
Cycling Without Age Australia has had active Australian Affiliates since November 2016 when the first trishaws arrived here. In 2017 the name Cycling Without Age Australia was registered and used in social media and other forums.
There are now 35 operational chapters across Australia, with approximately 600 volunteers. The oldest pilot in the program is 81 years young!
CWA Hunter
NovaCare Community Services started CWA Hunter in 2016 becoming the proud owner of two Cycling Without Age trishaw ebikes.
With the help of the Community Building Partnership Program and our Local State Parliamentarians at Charlestown, Lake Macquarie (Morisset), Newcastle, Port Stephens, Swansea and Wallsend we have added another seven trishaws to our fleet, resulting in total of nine trishaws in the Hunter Region.
These bikes will be distributed throughout Lake Macquarie, Newcastle and Port Stephens Local Government Areas.