The German Bicycle Industry Association (Zweirad-Industrie-Verband, ZIV), the national interest group and service provider of the German and international bicycle industry, has decided to support the German branch of the non-profit association “Cycling without Age” for the second time after 2016 with its annual charity campaign. ZIV’s choice for Cycling without Age as a donation recipient fell against the background of the Corona year, during which older citizens in senior homes had to suffer very much under the lockdown restrictions. Shortly before Christmas, ZIV presented a symbolic check worth €3,000 in Frankfurt to Petra Dowidziak, ambassador of “Radeln ohne Alter Deutschland e.V.

Ole Kassow originally had the idea in Copenhagen in 2012 to give older people in senior and nursing homes back a bit of mobility and enjoyment. He rented a rickshaw, drove to a retirement home and offered the nursing staff to take two residents on a city tour. This first ride was a great success, and the idea developed into an initiative that has since grown offshoots in many countries around the world. The donation from ZIV is meant to help fund new rickshaws that can then be made available to volunteers.