Author Topic: Free tandem hire (Read 5478 times)

Charlottes_Tandems · « **on:** 26 January, 2013, 09:34:28 pm »

Dear all,

This is my first post on this Forum.

Charlotte's Tandems is a Registered Charity gives free hire of tandems and tag-alongs to people with disabilities or special needs. We have them all over the UK now and are looking for lots more borrowers, so if you know of anyone who would like to borrow one then please put them in touch with me, via our website www.CharlottesTandems.weebly.com. We have a lot of info on our tandems and borrowers on there. I update it regularly and we also have an active Facebook group. So take a look now.

As we have a lot of tandems (perhaps the largest tandem fleet in the UK) maybe we can also help with any general tandem questions.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Alex

hatler · « **Reply #1 on:** 26 January, 2013, 09:35:28 pm »

Very cool. Welcome. Thanks for finding us.

The French Tandem · « **Reply #2 on:** 27 January, 2013, 07:29:54 am »

Very good idea, Alex!

We have a second tandem that is only very seldom ridden by friends. Most of the time it gathers dust in the shed.
Should you ever want to expand your activity to central France, I'll happily offer tandem rides to disabled people.

Alain

Charlottes_Tandems · « **Reply #3 on:** 27 January, 2013, 07:41:50 am »

Thanks for the kind comments.

Unfortunately, if we were to spread outside the UK then that would involve a lot of extra paperwork with the charity commission. We are helping to set up a similar organisation in the Republic of Ireland and would happily help you set up a similar organisation in France.

To begin with, the easiest way is to just set up a website to advertise the tandem(s). Once you start getting donations, then a charity is the way to go. In the Uk we were allowed to be a "small charity" which meant less paperwork and only had to Register when income reached £5000. I don't know what the rules are in France, but maybe similar.

I look forward to helping you set it up, if you would like to do that. It is very rewarding.

Alex

jogler · « **Reply #4 on:** 27 January, 2013, 10:34:47 am »

Quote from: Charlottes_Tandems on 26 January, 2013, 09:34:28 pm

Dear all,

This is my first post on this Forum.

Charlotte's Tandems is a Registered Charity gives free hire of tandems and tag-alongs to people with disabilities or special needs. We have them all over the UK now and are looking for lots more borrowers, so if you know of anyone who would like to borrow one then please put them in touch with me, via our website www.CharlottesTandems.weebly.com. We have a lot of info on our tandems and borrowers on there. I update it regularly and we also have an active Facebook group. So take a look now.

As we have a lot of tandems (perhaps the largest tandem fleet in the UK) maybe we can also help with any general tandem questions.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Alex

Am I correct in assuming that riders with a disability are normally stokers?If so do they have their own captain's or do you have volunteers for this role?

Polar Bear · « **Reply #5 on:** 27 January, 2013, 11:16:33 am »

How wonderful. What a marvellous charity.

Charlottes_Tandems · « **Reply #6 on:** 27 January, 2013, 06:54:13 pm »

Thanks Polar Bear for your kind comments.

Jogler, yes the stokers are disabled. The vast majority have their own pilots, but I also have access to lists of stokers looking for pilots and pilots looking for stokers. Do you have someone in mind?

Alex

jogler · « **Reply #7 on:** 27 January, 2013, 07:46:32 pm »

Quote from: Charlottes_Tandems on 27 January, 2013, 06:54:13 pm

Thanks Polar Bear for your kind comments.

Jogler, yes the stokers are disabled. The vast majority have their own pilots, but I also have access to lists of stokers looking for pilots and pilots looking for stokers. Do you have someone in mind?
Alex

Yes.I would like to pilot a tandem for someone.
Unfortunately I have recently needed to sell our tandem so cannot now provide a machine.

Charlottes_Tandems · « **Reply #8 on:** 27 January, 2013, 08:34:29 pm »

Please let me know your email address, by contacting me via our website. I share my list with Paul West at British Cycling.

Alex

jogler · « **Reply #9 on:** 27 January, 2013, 08:38:01 pm »

^^^
will do

Oscar's dad · « **Reply #10 on:** 28 January, 2013, 09:13:58 am »

We have a tandem (called Tina) which could do with some use. The stoker's position can take adults up to about 5'6" (possibly taller although I've never tried) and children from 7 years onwards, I have a set of crank shorteners. I can't promise to commit loads of time I'm afraid but happy to give it a go.

We live in mid-Essex (Witham CM8 to be precise) so please let me know if I can be of any help.

Charlottes_Tandems · « **Reply #11 on:** 28 January, 2013, 07:26:32 pm »

Dear Oscar's Dad,

Thanks. Could you contact me via the form on our website?

Best wishes,

Alex

mzjo · « **Reply #12 on:** 29 January, 2013, 08:51:57 pm »

Quote from: Charlottes_Tandems on 27 January, 2013, 07:41:50 am

Thanks for the kind comments.

Unfortunately, if we were to spread outside the UK then that would involve a lot of extra paperwork with the charity commission. We are helping to set up a similar organisation in the Republic of Ireland and would happily help you set up a similar organisation in France.

To begin with, the easiest way is to just set up a website to advertise the tandem(s). Once you start getting donations, then a charity is the way to go. In the Uk we were allowed to be a "small charity" which meant less paperwork and only had to Register when income reached £5000. I don't know what the rules are in France, but maybe similar.

I look forward to helping you set it up, if you would like to do that. It is very rewarding.

Alex

There are a number of associations in France that are already filling this sort of role, mostly affiliated to the "Fédération Francaise de Handisport", some sports clubs, some sections attached to mainstream cycling clubs and quite a few attached to the Association Valentin Huey (I hope I got his name right) which promotes and co-ordinates a wide variety of leisure activities for visually handicapped people.
The rules that govern these sorts of associations are usually laid down by the Loi des Associations de 1901 (usually known as the Loi 1901) which covers non-profit making organisations. France is a very wary, litigious country and looks for insurance cover and "responsables" at every turn.
The biggest association handling visually handicapped tandemming is the STAAP in the Ile de France region around Paris.

Charlottes_Tandems · « **Reply #13 on:** 29 January, 2013, 10:22:08 pm »

Thanks for all those comments: I hope they are helpful to anyone hoping to help in France but hopefully won't put them off.

Just wanted to add that tandems aren't just for visually disabled stokers. Most of our borrowers have other disabilities and aren't catered for by lots of tandeming groups or cycling charities.

Charlottes_Tandems · « **Reply #14 on:** 24 July, 2013, 10:35:55 pm »

We still have lots of tandems available for free hire. Please let everyone know about us. Www.CharlottesTandems.weebly.com

Charlottes_Tandems · « **Reply #15 on:** 07 September, 2013, 10:25:38 pm »

New web address

CharlottesTandems.co.uk

Lots of tandems still available. Please borrow one.

jogler · « **Reply #16 on:** 22 December, 2013, 01:10:24 pm »

Charlotte's Tandems passed my details to Paul West at British Cycling who,via the Blind Veterans UK organisation put me in contact with a stoker for whom I hope to pilot.

We have arranged to meet mid-Jan 2014

Result

Butterfly · « **Reply #17 on:** 23 December, 2013, 12:40:50 am »

Cool

jogler · « **Reply #18 on:** 17 January, 2014, 08:04:53 pm »

Today I met with my new stoker( or did she meet her new pilot?)

We are each satisfied that the other is not an axe murderer so all we need now is a tandem.
There is a plan in motion

Charlottes_Tandems · « **Reply #19 on:** 31 January, 2014, 04:22:28 pm »

Still lots of tandems available for free hire here: CharlottesTandems.co.uk

Watch our new video here of our tandems in action with our happy borrowers.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=XeHzVslM14U&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DXeHzVslM14U

Then pass our link on to someone else.

graculus · « **Reply #20 on:** 17 September, 2014, 08:27:22 am »

Some happy users on last night's 'In Touch' (last 5 minutes):

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04grspj