The two residents of the care and senior center Bethanien initially decided not to use the specially made tile with the inscription “Bürgerstiftung Braunschweig” and “Radeln ohne Alter”. Irmgard Fuchs and Ursula Drögemüller were the first to be chauffeured through the park of the home at Marienstift by Kerstin Waning from the foundation in an electric rickshaw.
The Braunschweig Community Foundation initially acquired two e-rickshaws, financed by the Helpful Foundation, which is managed in trust by the Community Foundation, and Volkswagen Financial Services, each of which donated around 5500 euros for a vehicle. After the first bicycle with space for two passengers plus a pilot has now been delivered to the care and senior citizens’ center, the St. Thomaehof Foundation will receive rickshaw number two at the beginning of December.
A permanent loan to the home
The vehicles remain the property of the community foundation, which also covers costs such as insurance, maintenance and repairs, as the foundation board member Andrea Reinhart explained. The BS-Energy Foundation, whose spokesperson Olaf Koschnitzki emphasized: “E-mobility, coupled with the social component – this project fits in well with the philosophy of our company.”
In Bethanien, especially after this very special year, without much external contact, the residents are looking forward to the trips, which in future will of course go beyond the trial rounds in the garden. “The home advisory board has already registered increased interest in spring on behalf of all residents,” reported senior center manager Ulrich Zerreßen, but also in December there will be light trips to the pre-Christmas decorated city center.
Safety was a top priority: lap belts, brackets, helmets were purchased
Safety is guaranteed, for the e-rickshaw, where the passengers sit in front of the cyclist, there are lap belts and a bracket, and helmets have been purchased – and against rain and cold, fleece and blankets in the color of the bicycle frame. “We are being pampered,” said premiere passenger Irmgard Fuchs, and Ursula Drögemüller, who sits next to her, confirmed: “A great experience!”
The community foundation is now looking for drivers who will first be trained so that they can then safely maneuver the e-rickshaws with guests. “It’s actually very easy, but you have to adjust to the other radius when cornering,” said Kerstin Waning, head of the “Cycling without Age” project at the Foundation.
After all, there is electrical support for the driver when pedaling.
Those interested in volunteering as a rickshaw pilot can contact the volunteer coordinator Nina Voß at the foundation: (0531) 48202422 or [email protected]
Another five vehicles have been ordered
At the end of the day, Foundation Board Member Andrea Reinhart had some good news: Last week she found sponsors for five more e-rickshaws, the bikes from the Netherlands have already been ordered. Retirement homes who are interested can contact the community foundation – “They only need a parking space for the vehicle,” says Andrea Reinhart.
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