News

Whitefoord House wheels out new Trishaws

Cycling Without Age Scotland (CWAS) has teamed up with Scottish Veterans Residences to unveil a new offering of electric-bike trishaws at SVR’s Edinburgh residence, Whitefoord House.

This new CWAS branch, or “Chapter” as they’re known, is the first one to be established by a military-related organisation and was initiated by a former Whitefoord resident, Derek Quinn.

Derek - a keen cycling enthusiast - recognised the significant potential benefits, which include getting Veterans with limited mobility out and about; and interacting with the local community and the public, including tourists, whilst enjoying rides within the city and Holyrood Park.

The launch - held to coincide with the UN’s International Day of Older Persons - was attended by MSPs and other VIPs, including Scottish Veterans Minister Graeme Dey and Scottish Veterans Commissioner Susie Hamilton.

After some warm words from Mr Dey, SVR Chief Executive, Martin Nadin and Jean Weir and Christine Bell of CWAS; the two Whitefoord House Trishaws headed a procession, led out by piper Neil Clark. The Trishaws made their way down the Royal Mile, through Holyrood Park, before a parade outside the Scottish Parliament building.

CWAS Chief Executive Christine Bell, said: “Nearly all our Chapters evolve from local community groups but this is the first one to be created by and based at a military-related organisation. The majority of our passengers are older people, we have many Pilots in their 60s, 70s and several in their 80s, and we are today welcoming military veterans into the CWAS family – so it’s a perfect and unique way to mark the UN’s International Day of Older Persons.

“We’re hugely impressed by what Scottish Veterans Residences does and delighted to be able to assist that by enabling and supporting this Chapter, and so provide our unique service to those who have so bravely served us.

“We can see the Whitefoord House Trishaws becoming a regularly spotted and incredibly popular highlight of Edinburgh life and know that residents who train to Pilot, as well as those out and about as passengers, will have an amazing and fulfilling time. We also hope that this new relationship with Scottish Veterans Residences will lead to Chapters at their other locations in Scotland.”

Colin Leslie, Head of External Relations at Scottish Veterans Residences said: “It is our pleasure to embark on this exciting new partnership with CWAS, and full credit must go to our residents for helping to put the wheels in motion to create the Whitefoord House Chapter. They have shown great enthusiasm for this project and are thrilled to get this opportunity to transport passengers around the city in such a stylish way. These eye-catching Trishaws will also further raise awareness of the important work our charity does, providing supported housing to homeless Veterans.”

Following the launch, the Whitefoord Trishaws have already been taken out for a maiden spin. Our Activities Officer James Moncur took two of our Veterans out on the roads around Arthur’s Seat and they thoroughly enjoyed the experience. 

Through more than 43,000 free rides every year in the pioneering trishaws, CWAS enriches and enhances the lives of people with limited mobility or living with loneliness or isolation. It gets passengers out into the fresh air to make new friends or meet old ones, to enjoy social interaction and camaraderie and to feel a true part of their community.

CWAS, part of the Denmark-based global organisation Cycling Without Age, started trials of its pioneering Trishaws in 2016, was formally launched in 2018 and has since grown from 5 Trishaws in one location to 136 in 90; those numbers are rising all the time. Recognising the outstanding contribution that its service makes to society’s health and wellbeing and to community and intergenerational development and cohesiveness, CWAS has been supported by the Scottish Government from the start. 

Pictures courtesy of: Scott Louden Photography/CWAS