Going out, being in contact with others, life outside, listening to noises and feeling the wind on your face, in your hair, for almost two years the residents of the Ehpad des Bruyères de Mons-en-Barœulin the North, enjoy a nice ride in a scooter.
This original experience is possible thanks to the association Ageless cycling. A volunteer on the handlebars, a good blanket on their knees, Bernard and Fernande embark on a rather special ride. The slow pace of the walk makes it possible to stop, to notice certain details. “We see the leaves move, we see the colors, it’s above all the air on the face what we don’t have in a room, it’s a little freedom”, confides Fernande
During the walk, a dialogue begins, the smiles light up the faces of the residents and the memories come back. Like in front of the college where Fernande was a teacher. “I’m happy to see it again, to see that it’s clean and neat”, she rejoices.
The idea of the association On an ageless bike was born in Denmark ten years ago. the principle is simple: to offer dependent people rides on a three-wheeled bicycle, in the open air and in complete safety.. “We go to the neighborhoods, we pass in front of the school at recess, we meet people who work in the park, it’s the life of the city”, assures the volunteer Michel Bonord.
The association is present everywhere in France and today has around 200 volunteers. But to continue to offer this wind of freedom, the North antenna is looking for new pairs of legs to pedal. “Today we have a good dozen volunteers, but that’s not enough because we have a new partnership with a Ehpad de Lille, so we will need strong forces”, emphasizes François Barbet, co-responsible for the association.