Bury St Edmunds Rickshaw started in 2018 with the aim of promoting social inclusion, and offers free rides around the town to people who, due to limited mobility or other issues, would welcome the opportunity to get outside and enjoy the fresh air and interaction with others – the rider, and passersby. We cover the whole of Bury St Edmunds, and offer rides to people from further afield if they can get to the town.
BBC Suffolk made a little film that shows what we are all about. Volunteer rider Sam is riding the rickshaw for David, who attends Gatehouse Dementia Hub, and Gatehouse CEO Amanda Bloomfield.
In 2020, with the arrival of coronavirus we switched our activities almost entirely to delivering medicine and food to self-isolators and charities working with vulnerable people.
We currently have three passenger rickshaws (nicknamed Ricky, Tigger and Ladybird), a dedicated wheelchair rickshaw (Robyn), and a cargo bike (Cary).
In June 2022 we were awarded the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service. Equivalent to an MBE, QAVS are the highest awards given to local voluntary groups in the UK, and they are awarded for life.
Bury St Edmunds Rickshaw is a Registered Charity (no. 1189132) run entirely by volunteers.