The Community Trishaw provides free rides thanks to its dedicated team of volunteers. If you would like to join us, we would love to hear from you. Most of our volunteers ride the trishaw, but we would welcome offers of general help if cycling is not your thing. Full training is given and we do need new volunteer rider.
Volunteer riders help provide regular weekly rides to local care home residents.
Volunteer Riders/Companions
If you are interested in being one of our riders or passenger companions, please read the Roles and Responsibilities of HI Trishaw Riders/Companions and complete the online volunteer application form via this link:
In the free format section of the form, please state that you would like to become a trishaw rider and provide details of your cycling experience
Once complete, please forward to info@hifriends.org.uk
Roles and Responsibilities for Volunteer Trishaw Riders/Companions
1. Description of Volunteer Trishaw Riders’ role
- All riders will receive a practical off-road and on-road trishaw training session prior to their recruitment by the project co-ordinator.
- The training will ensure all riders are fully conversant with and capable of controlling the equipment.
- Registered volunteer trishaw riders have responsibility for the safety of the trishaw and passengers. In that sense the riders are in charge if each ride, will decide the route and its duration to ensure a gentle, beneficial experience for all participants.
- Registered volunteer riders have the authority to cancel the ride if they believe the trishaw is unserviceable, the ride is not appropriate for the prospective passenger(s), if there is sufficient access for the trishaw to reach a prospective passenger or the weather conditions have deteriorated.
- Registered volunteer riders notify the project co-ordinator of their availability and these time slots are advertised on an on-line booking system.
- You will be DBS checked prior to commencing the role.
In addition to trishaw riders a list of registered companion passengers is also maintained who can accompany passengers in the trishaw when no friend or carer is available.
2. Description of Volunteer Companion Passengers’ role
- The trishaw rider has responsibility for the safety of the trishaw and passengers, and in that sense is in charge. The role of the volunteer companion is to sit with the passenger and provide companionship during the ride and assist the rider in ensuring the trip goes smoothly.
- You will meet the rider where the trishaw is kept at the recreation ground, or be picked up along the route to collecting the passenger. You will remain with the passenger throughout the ride and be dropped off or returned to the recreation ground at the end of the ride(s).
- The purpose of the trishaw ride is to get people out of their homes and into the world, to cheer them up and decrease their isolation. Volunteers are strongly encouraged to chat to the passengers and listen to their stories.
- You are not required to do any physical lifting of passengers, or to have any relationship with the passengers beyond the rides. It is important to remember that we are simply offering friendly trishaw rides; we are not carers or a befriending service. Having said that, we anticipate developing links with other services that our passengers might find helpful.
- Once you have confirmed your availability, and been allocated a shift, you must turn up for the ride or give the project co-ordinator at least 3 days’ notice so we can find another volunteer.
- You will be DBS checked prior to commencing the companion role.
3.Vulnerable adults safeguarding policy
All volunteers must adhere to the Friends of Histon & Impington Community Safeguarding policy which is designed to protect adults at risk from harm. This involves being vigilant for signs of abuse and reporting any concerns to the Charity Adult Safeguarding officer. The policy can be found here together with the name of the Safeguarding officer.
4. Requirements
We need people who are considerate, good listeners and happy to chat while accompanying vulnerable people on trishaw rides round Histon and Impington. If you are trustworthy, reliable, and can offer a regular shift per month to help isolated and less able people, this would be a great opportunity to help your community.