Dylan's delight at trike for greenway cycle

The mother of a Wilkinstown teenager with special needs says her son "jumped for joy" when he caught the first glimpse of his custom made trike that will allow him cycle the local greenway.

Dylan Halpenny was "ecstatic" when he clapped eyes on the specially made bright orange trike that will give him the opportunity him to cycle the newly opened Boyne Valley to Lakelands Greenway along with his family, according to proud mother, Tina.

Earlier this year, Tina helped to set up an initiative that would see children with special needs have access to specially adapted trikes and says she believes the new greenway should be for everyone to enjoy.

In June, Tina organised a ‘Try a Trike’ event at Park Beo Greenway in Wilkinstown with Louth Disability Cycling Group in conjunction with Variety the children's charity of Ireland.

The fun afternoon afforded families and their children the opportunity to ride a trike custom made to suit the needs of a disabled child.

Tina who founded the Wilkinstown Disability Cycling Club, became passionate about the idea after struggling to find an alternative to a conventional bicycle for her 16 year-old son.

"When he saw the trike he jumped for joy, he was so excited that he took off on it so fast that my husband had to get on a bike to catch up with him!" said Tina.

"So many other families have reached out to me and have applied for funding from the event that I held in June.

"It's going to be amazing to see so many kids and teenagers like Dylan on the Greenway, that was always my dream and my vision has come to reality," she added.

"All I wanted was to see these children being included and to be able to enjoy life the same way as everyone else.

"A trike was also kindly donated to Wilkinstown Disability Cycling Club by Geraldine and Gerry McQuaid after their daughter Amy grew out of it and received a new trike from the charity, Variety. This trike will be available for children aged six to 12 to try out on the Greenway at Park Beo with their families and another government funded trike is due to arrive in the coming weeks. George Allen is on hand there to help with his rental service called Feel Good Bicycles. A special thanks to Brendan and Eimear Doughty at Park Beo who have been so supportive.

The trikes are part of Variety Ireland’s Recycle Mobility Programme which is supported and co-funded by Minister Anne Rabbitte and The Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth. These special trikes help children with mobility issues to be much more independent, take part in outdoor activities and opens up opportunities to travel, given they are fully collapsible it allows them to fit into the boot of most vehicles and the aircraft hold very easily.

"When the greenway was finished and our whole family could cycle out on it my heart was breaking for Dylan who couldn't and no one will ever tell me Dylan can't do something so I started doing research," Tina says. "It was proving very hard to get a trike that would accommodated Dylan and suit Dylan's needs.

"Doors were being closed in my face left right and centre and I was losing hope and I sat up late one night and started googling and a few things popped out but this one, Variety, just hit me. I got a letter from the doctor about how much this would benefit Dylan.

"I applied through the recyclable programme for a trike, that when your child finishes with it you then pass it on to another family and thankfully we got the green light."

Tina and her husband Declan made a significant financial contribution towards Dylan's trike that he will be his to keep into adulthood. However, Tina was successful in accessing funding that will allow local families of children with additional needs access to a trike that will be stored at Park Beo.

"I want to see other children out on the greenway on trikes," said Tina who is also mum to Evan and Erin Rose.

"As well as getting his new trike Dylan just started as a student in the ASD unit in O'Carolan College, Nobber which he is really enjoying so we are delighted that so many great things have come his way."