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Residents at Moorhouse Care Home in Hindhead are rediscovering the joy of cycling, thanks to a new trishaw unveiled by the Town Mayor of Haslemere, Councillor Jacquie Keen MBE, on 13 October.
For many of our residents, a bike ride is something they haven’t been able to enjoy for years. Now they can do it again.
A trishaw is a bicycle with a comfortable passenger seat at the front. One of our team does the pedalling, so residents can sit back and take in the sights and sounds of Hindhead and the beautiful Surrey countryside.
A labour of love
The idea came from Moorhouse Home Manager, Steve Morton, who bought the trishaw himself and spent his own time fixing it up for the residents. It’s now fitted with pedal assist to help it manage Hindhead’s hills, and it carries the Moorhouse branding so it’ll be easy to spot around the village.
Steve said: “Lots of our residents loved cycling when they were younger, but it’s something they haven’t been able to do for a long time. With the trishaw they can feel the wind in their hair again, safely, while one of our team does the riding. It’s been brilliant to see them out on it.”
Shirley was one of the first residents to try it out, with Steve at the handlebars. She said: “Thank you, I really enjoyed that! It was good fun on the bike.”
A special visit for the Mayor
Cllr Keen joined residents and staff for the unveiling, and it turned out to be a special visit for her. Her mother worked at Moorhouse in its early days as a nursing home, so the home has a personal connection for her family.
Cllr Keen said: “It was an honour to visit Moorhouse Care Home to meet the residents and see their new trishaw bicycle in action. The trishaw gives residents the experience of cycling without any of the hard work, and it was wonderful to see the enjoyment it brought.”
Beyond the garden gate
Moorhouse was designed by Edwin Lutyens in the early 1900s as the area’s first hotel. It has been caring for older people since 1987 and still has its original Edwardian gardens. With the trishaw, residents can now enjoy what’s beyond the garden gate too.
Every ride follows a full risk assessment, and the team plans each trip around the resident’s wishes and comfort.
Visit Moorhouse
Want to see the trishaw for yourself? We’d love to show you around Moorhouse, from our original Edwardian gardens to the warm, friendly team who make it feel like home. Get in touch to book a visit or find out more about life at Moorhouse.
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