
BBC
This is a sweet story about a sweet young man who is making an effort to end loneliness among the elderly. Fraser, a 20-year-old student who is studying medicine at Falkirk University in Scotland, volunteers at his local nursing home four to five times a week and takes pairs of residents for pedicab rides along the countryside.
“Everyone has some time in their lives that they could give back to the older generation, and offer them opportunities like this they wouldn’t get otherwise.”
Fraser is part of a group of about 30 student volunteers who have taken out around 150 residents since February. The idea originated a couple of years ago in Denmark with five trishaws (rickshaws with two passenger seats) pedaled by volunteers. It quickly spread, first throughout Denmark and then to another 28 countries. Young Fraser heard about the idea and he and his friends launched it in Scotland in early 2017.
The Scottish volunteers are hoping they, too, can turn their project into a country-wide program, and they’re off to a great start. Since the BBC featured the program in their “Amazing Humans” series, the video has gotten 20 plus million views. Once the video went viral, Cycling Without Age started a crowdfuding campaign to expand their volunteer program across Scotland.
(Via)
August 19, 2017 at 7:28 am
i am going to a rehab unit next, week after surgery which is also a nursing, assisted living. I live in a 55+ 880 community in central Florida. There are a lot of us that live alone. i have family and a great friend in my support group, but there are many that do not. It is great to see a youth get involved. It can be very lonely.
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August 19, 2017 at 8:35 am
My father lives in a retirement community in Sleepy Hollow, and he says the same. And I think getting outside makes as much of a difference as visitors do.
I hope your surgery goes well and you have a speedy recovery!
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August 19, 2017 at 8:10 am
So grateful to read this story of kindness this morning! Thank you!
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August 19, 2017 at 8:35 am
It thrilled me, too. We could all use some good news these days!
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August 19, 2017 at 8:13 am
This morning’s OBT touched my heart. What a wonderful thing Fraser is doing. May it spread like wildfire.
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August 19, 2017 at 8:36 am
I’m glad. That is a very nice young man!
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August 19, 2017 at 8:19 am
What an amazing young man! This was definitely the best kind of biker gang, Donna! Thanks so much.
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August 19, 2017 at 8:38 am
I am hoping to find a scout in the US who needs an eagle project. Spread the word!
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August 19, 2017 at 8:39 am
Most definitely!
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August 19, 2017 at 8:44 pm
What a wonderful idea. I love it.
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August 19, 2017 at 9:32 pm
It really is great. Beloved used to be a bicycling maniac. I’ll bet she could handle it…
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