EFFORTS have been ramped up to buy a third trishaw bike for an initiative which gives vulnerable people the feeling of the wind in their hair in Weymouth.

Cycling Without Age's Weymouth branch is bidding to raise £6,000 to purchase a third bike, which are battery operated, to help more people across the town who are elderly or disabled.

Prior to the first national lockdown in March, the organisation had one trishaw bike and took out around 60 vulnerable people per month, taking them to see the beauty of the coast or the sights of the countryside.

They purchased a second bike in May due to demand with Lottery funding.

Des Lochrie, who established the town's chapter of Cycling Without Age, said: "Our aim is to buy another bike so when lockdown ends, we can take more vulnerable people out to see the sights.

"Most of these people are stuck inside for the majority of every day - isolating from coronavirus - and have been doing so for nearly a year now."

Mr Lochrie said that before the pandemic, the non-profit charity would take out people from care homes across Weymouth and the wider community to areas including Weymouth seafront or Radipole Lake Nature Reserve.

"The bikes have a hood which would easily protect and keep riders socially distant from the cyclist, who are called 'pilots'," said Mr Lochrie.

"We're waiting to go back into either Tier 3 or above, and we can start taking people out across Weymouth again.

"It's frustrating because we can't help those who are most in need such as people in care homes.

"It's important to get these people out and about instead of being stuck inside, because the initiative is great for helping with mental health issues or dementia."

The bikes come from Denmark and the charity offers rides from a total of 12 volunteer 'pilots'.

The charity was set up in October 2019 to combat loneliness among people who are housebound

Going forward Mr Lochrie said the charity hopes to buy as many trishaw bikes as possible, to cover areas as wide as Bridport, Dorchester and Portland.

He said: "The people we take out for these trips have a great time and return home buzzing."

The charity's first bike was purchased in 2019 after funds were raised by Weymouth Golf Club, while the second bike was purchased in May last year after the National Lottery provided a grant of £7,845.

If you would like to donate, visit gofundme.com and search 'Raising money for Cycling Without Age Weymouth'.