Castle rickshaws

Volunteer drivers offer senior citizen and cultural trips as well as a health shuttle

If you've ever seen the rickshaws in the city, you'll see lots of happy faces. The guests being driven are in a good mood. And so are the drivers. "It's just so much fun to have the wind, blowing around your nose and to do something good for people," says Amandus Petrauch, who initiated the castle rickshawPproject at the "Bürger für Bürger e.V." foundation. "And it's nice to see that people with limited mobility are becoming mobile again," adds Ingeborg Stange. The two are two of a total of 25 drivers who drive the two rickshaws around the city on a voluntary basis. "Enjoying home with a breeze" is the motto of the "Castle Rickshaw Project".

Two years ago, they went public for the first time with an appeal for donations and found two partners to support the project: the family education center and the parish of St. Felizitas. Two e-rickshaws were purchased: in the "Chat", guests can sit comfortably next to each other on the bench. The "Velo Plus" is primarily reserved for people in wheelchairs.

"Because we have such great support, we were able to purchase two rickshaws from the Dutch company VanRaam - the Mercedes of rickshaws," say the rickshaw drivers. The rickshaws can carry 320 kilograms and are comfortable and well-padded.

Voluntary and free of charge

In cooperation with the Clara Stift, Ludgerus-Haus and Antonius-Haus, the volunteers offer trips for senior citizens. Cultural trips are also on the program. "Then we drive through the münsterland parklands to the castles and also tell our passengers a bit about Lüdinghausen and itsr history," say the volunteers. On Mondays and Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., there is also the health shuttle, during which time they take people with restricted mobility to the doctor, physiotherapist or pharmacy. All free of charge.

"If you get in, you get a ride," says Amandus Petrausch. "With us, no one has to prove that they can't walk well. We welcome all guests who want to enjoy a rickshaw ride." He recently drove a group of women from Aachen who were visiting Lüdinghausen. One lady had sprained her foot. "But the other four had just as much fun on the tour of the city." Wedding trips and trips to the surrounding area, e.g. to Nordkirchen Castle, are also possible. The manufacturer calls the bench rickshaw "CHAT", which comes from the English "chatter or chat" - the rickshaw really deserves its name.

By the way, the schedule is jam-packed. That's why the drivers are already collecting money for a third rickshaw; a bench rickshaw is still needed. Nadine Wenge

Book a rickshaw

If you want to ride a rickshaw, you can book an appointment online: www.buerger-fuer-buerger-lh.de. And then click on the red "Book rickshaw here" field

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If you would like to use the health shuttle, call 02591/70500.