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About us
We lend tandems to (and only to) people with disabilities or special needs for free, who are unable to ride a bike safely on their own, so that they can enjoy the wonders of cycling. Sorry, our tandems are not for paid hire or available to non disabled people, for charity rides, no matter how worthy the cause. Our borrowers are both children and adults. Tandems are a fun and safe way to get out and about as friends, a couple, family or group.
We have been lucky to have tandems donated and grants to buy more, so if you would like to borrow one or have a tandem or components to donate then please contact Alex. We are in based in Gloucestershire, have outposts in Essex, Warwickshire, Cheshire, Derbyshire, the South East, Edinburgh, North Yorkshire and are hoping to spread out to other places in the UK.
We have been lucky to have tandems donated and grants to buy more, so if you would like to borrow one or have a tandem or components to donate then please contact Alex. We are in based in Gloucestershire, have outposts in Essex, Warwickshire, Cheshire, Derbyshire, the South East, Edinburgh, North Yorkshire and are hoping to spread out to other places in the UK.
Our charitable status
Charlotte's Tandems became a charity in April 2011 and its constitution is available on request. The charity is run by volunteers. Gift Aid forms are available here. We do not charge for our tandems, but welcome donations and would welcome any spare parts. We have had a few monetary donations and three grants and we have just applied to be a Registered Charity. If we are Registered then the door opens to us to apply for many more grants and then we can buy more tandems. Our first AGM was held in Dursley, Glos, on Saturday 17th March 2012. Our Trustees for 2012/13 are Richard Nutall, Francis Jones, Gordon Potter, Anne Glanville and Kate and Alex Reeves.
Our Tandems
We have a number of tandems donated via the Tandem Club and through our website, and others bought through monatary donations and one owned by Charlotte and two by Mr Austin and one from Mr Chapman. Charlotte gets to ride one and the rest are for borrowing. Please let us know if you would like to borrow one of the available tandems or whether you would like to join the waiting list for one of the others.
Our Gloucestershire based tandems
Cannondale road tandem
25"/23": drop handlebars: 700c wheels. Currently riden by Dave of Worcester
Sun road tandem
Two Viking Salernos
Barracuda California
19"/17"
26" wheels. Currently riden by Amanda of Royal Wootton Bassett Two Thorn Voyager Kiddybacks
Also for our youngest riders.
Flat bars 20"/12" Both Available Richmond road tandem
Needs some more bits before it is ready
Old Santana tandem
Needs some more bits before it is ready
Also available, a luggage trailer
We know it's not a tandem but it was donated to us and may be of use to someone.
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Green Dawes Super Galaxy
Schwinn Sierra
Orbit Gemini
Globetrotter road tandem
Flat bars
Currently riden by Clare of Cirencester 2 Trailer bikes
These are for our younger riders. One is currently riden by Joe of Herefordshire and the other is currently riden by Orlando of Uley
Orbit road tandem
Needs some more bits before it is ready
Back rest with side supports
Attaches to our tandems. For the use of more physically disabled stokers. Currenly used by Joe of Herefordshire.
Kate and Alex
We need some more bits to get the Santana, Orbit and Richmond tandems back on the road soon and we hope to have even more tandems soon.
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We also have a range of accessories to borrow, even if you don't borrow a tandem. Alex in Gloucestershire has front & rear pannier racks, panniers, helmets, bike luggage trailer, etc. We also have spare bike racks and tandem roof carriers for cars, if you need to transport your tandem.
Our Essex based Tandems
Blue Dawes Super Galaxy
Motobecane Ladyback
22"/20.5" ?
Drop handlebars 700c wheels Available |
Hiway Vertical
Richard
Thanks to Richard for looking after the Essex based Tandems. Richard is willing to deliver tandems, as long as it's not too far. Perhaps you could reimburse his petrol costs.
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Richard also has, in Essex, some donated accesories including front and rear panniers and a rear rack and another tandem to collect.
Our Surrey, Berkshire & Kent based tandems
2nd Viking Saratoga
17"/15", flat bars, 26" wheels. Currently riden by Jan of Carsholton
Thorn Discovery
Flat bars
23"/20" 26" wheels Available Martin, Daren, Jim & Dave
Martin, Jim and Dave look after these tandems. We hope to have details of Daren's tandems soon.
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2nd Blue Dawes Super Galaxy
22"/21",
drop bars, 700c wheels. Available. Mission Duet
Flat bars
18"/16" 26" wheels Available Other tandemsWe are hoping to have two more tandems in this area soon. They are a Dawes Toucan Kidyback and yet another Dawes Galaxy. Borrowers needed.
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Our Warwickshire based tandems
Mercian tandem
Hercules Ladyback
This tandem is being restored by John and has its own blog.
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Viking Saratoga
Canyon Trailer Bike
On its way to Ben in Great Barr
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Our Cheshire based tandems
Raleigh Pioneer U+1
Grey Dawes Super Galaxy
Canyon Trailer Bike
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Columbia hybrid
21"/20": flat bars: 700c wheels
Available soon. Viking Valhalla
Brian
Most of the Cheshire and Midland based tandems were based in Gloucestershire, however due to strong demand they have been relocated and are looked after by Brian and John respectively. So if you would like to have some of our tandems near you then fill in the form below.
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Our Tandems in Derbyshire
The three Derbyshire tandems have been restored to full working order by David and his colleagues. Great family bikes. Book them now. We also have another backrest that can be fitted to our tandems in Derbyshire.
Blue Orbita
Flat bars
26" wheels Available Ladyback tandemPicture coming soon. Available
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Red Orbita
Flat bars
26" wheels Available 
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Tandems in Scotland
Tandem in North Yorkshire
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Orbit Unicorn
Flat bars
20/16 frame Available Book it now by filling in the form below. |
Tandems elsewhere in the UK
We have odders of other tandems. We received a grant from a major supermarket chain to buy six low step-over tandems. We need more places for these to go, so please get in touch if you would like to borrow one or could store one or two for us. We now need borrowers, so please contact us.
Our History
Charlotte has severe learning difficulties, autism and is non verbal. It is hard to keep her busy and happy but we (Kate and Alex) found that cycling was the best way. When Charlotte grew out of her Tag-a-long in 2005 we decided to take the plunge and a bought a tandem, without even trying one out beforehand. Fortunately, she loved it from the start and we've riden many miles, without major problems. We therefore wanted to share our love for tandeming with others. The very kind members of the Tandem Club started to donate some tandems to lend out in April 2010. Other families, couples and friends are now able to try out a tandem for a month or two for free, to see if they enjoy it too and decide whether to buy one for themselves. We turned it into a charity in April 2011 and then from the summer of 2011 we started to get Regional helpers. They are Richard, John, Brian, David, Martin, Daren, Jim, Andy, Dave and Ruth and we are very grateful for all their help.
Our Donors
We are very grateful for the following for donating their tandems or trailer bikes, many of whom contacted us through the Tandem Club:
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Mr Phil Jenkins of Teignmouth, Devon
Mrs Val Oliver of Brandon, Suffolk Mr Tom Marrow of Bromham, Bedfordshire Mrs Bryden Stevenson-Jones of Heanor Mr David Callister of Nailsea, North Somerset Mrs Julia Tyrell of Stonehouse, Gloucestershire Mr Clem Collins of Eastbourne Mr Brian Hope of Cambridgeshire Mr James Brown of Stonehouse Mr Steve Durrant of Cheltenham |
Mr Geoff Josey of Essex
Mrs Gloria Jarvis of Cheltenham Mr David Wragg of Dudley Mr Mark and Mrs Teresa Batty of Lincolnshire Mrs Janine Wigmore of Todmorden Mrs Charlotte Elford of Cobham Mr Geoff Shore of Epsom Mrs Janine Brain of Upper Cam, Glos Mrs Judi Whitton of Upper Cam, Glos Mr Derek Brooker of Oxfordshire Dr David Thomas of Canterbury |
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We received grants from the Summerfield Charitable Trust and the Beavers Golfers for use in and around Gloucestershire and have bought four tandems and a backrest tandems so far with them. We have also received a cheque from the Tesco Charity Trust for a grant for more tandems for the rest of the UK.
We are always looking for more tandems and trailer bikes. Please contact us if you can help.
We have also received financial donations from Mrs K Robinson, Mr S Mellor, Mr P Ward, Mrs E Langrock-Bircher, Mrs Z Young, Mr A Kent, Mr J. Harris, Mr M Burgess, Mr P and Mrs J Ashman, Mrs M. Paraskova, Mrs R. Dingley, Mr & Mrs Browning, Mrs E Nuttall, Mr G Potter, Mrs A Glanville, Mr & Mrs Smout, Mr & Mrs Wright, Mr & Mrs Symonds, Mr E Reeves and ,Mr S Manning, each of which have been Gift Aided, and also from Miss Wood, members of CycleChat.net and St George's Church, Upper Cam. We are also supported by Alex Reeves Engineering Ltd.
Thanks also to Babcock employees: Andrew Whittaker, Marc Antill, Paul McCloud, Tarek Abdelhamid and Paul Perry for donating their secondhand bike parts for use on our tandems. We also got a solo bike through Dursley Freegle for parts. We have had tandems sold to us cheaply by Mr Searby of Bath, Mr Pountney of Bristol and Mr Shoosmith of Radstock.
We are always looking for more tandems and trailer bikes. Please contact us if you can help.
We have also received financial donations from Mrs K Robinson, Mr S Mellor, Mr P Ward, Mrs E Langrock-Bircher, Mrs Z Young, Mr A Kent, Mr J. Harris, Mr M Burgess, Mr P and Mrs J Ashman, Mrs M. Paraskova, Mrs R. Dingley, Mr & Mrs Browning, Mrs E Nuttall, Mr G Potter, Mrs A Glanville, Mr & Mrs Smout, Mr & Mrs Wright, Mr & Mrs Symonds, Mr E Reeves and ,Mr S Manning, each of which have been Gift Aided, and also from Miss Wood, members of CycleChat.net and St George's Church, Upper Cam. We are also supported by Alex Reeves Engineering Ltd.
Thanks also to Babcock employees: Andrew Whittaker, Marc Antill, Paul McCloud, Tarek Abdelhamid and Paul Perry for donating their secondhand bike parts for use on our tandems. We also got a solo bike through Dursley Freegle for parts. We have had tandems sold to us cheaply by Mr Searby of Bath, Mr Pountney of Bristol and Mr Shoosmith of Radstock.
We are also on Facebook. See the site for more photos.
Come for a ride with us!
How about coming for a ride with us? We've been on a few Tandem Club rides recently with the West Country and 3 Counties branches and really enjoyed them. The other members are very friendly and helped us plan our route so that we don't have to ride all day.
We had fun at the Shrubberies School May Fayre (14th May 2011) and are hoping to give rides at other special school summer fayres. We made some money for the school, got a donation for the charity and got some potential borrowers. Thanks to Ian Mynett for helping give rides. The photo shows Charlotte taking her Grandad for a ride.
We would like to give rides at other Special Schools' fayres. Please let us know if you know of one. We hosted a ride on the afternoon of our AGM and attended the Gloucestershire Carers' Free Fun Day on 12th April 2012. We fill be giving rides at the Shrubberies Fayre on 19th May 2012.
We had fun at the Shrubberies School May Fayre (14th May 2011) and are hoping to give rides at other special school summer fayres. We made some money for the school, got a donation for the charity and got some potential borrowers. Thanks to Ian Mynett for helping give rides. The photo shows Charlotte taking her Grandad for a ride.
We would like to give rides at other Special Schools' fayres. Please let us know if you know of one. We hosted a ride on the afternoon of our AGM and attended the Gloucestershire Carers' Free Fun Day on 12th April 2012. We fill be giving rides at the Shrubberies Fayre on 19th May 2012.
