On an eight seater tricycle made for fundraising events

Howard Lake | 31 July 2013 | Blogs

Charity bike rides usually consist of dozens or hundreds of people all heading off to cover mile after mile on their own two-wheel bicycles. But why stop at two wheels and one saddle? Why not choose the novelty approach of three wheels and eight saddles?

That is the opportunity currently being touted on eBay by Alan Jones of Stockport. His Trioctoped, an eight-seater tricycle, has been used to raise funds for various charities. He says that on average it raises £75 per rider, and on one occasion raised £1,200 in a day.

A sign on the back indicates which charity the riders are raising funds for. Although Jones’ description on eBay includes a mention of fishing nets to collect donations from passers-by which might not quite meet IoF public collections standards, nevertheless this eye-catching vehicle could still prove a useful addition to the fundraising opportunities for one charity, or perhaps a group of them to share.

The Trioctoped is currently being sold on eBay for £400, for collection from Stockport.

History of the trioctoped

Jones told UK Fundraising that he has had the trioctoped since the 1980’s, when he bought it after seeing Manchester Fire Brigade staff riding it on a charity ride. Before that it was used on a Land’s End to John O’ Groats charity ride. It was built by an engineer in Guide Bridge near Manchester, who sold it because he was about to build a one-person submarine for fundraising events!

Jones used it for many years at the Peover Charity Tandem Ride organised by the Stokes family, from a farm in Lower Peover, Cheshire, which raised thousands of pounds for various charities. He had hoped to cross a continent on it for charity but never put that plan into action.

It is currently in storage, and when it is sold Jones will, appropriately, use some of the income to make a donation to Christian Relief Uganda.

About Howard Lake
Howard Lake is consultant editor of UK Fundraising. He founded the site in 1994 and successfully sold it in 2022. As director of Giving X Ltd he is exploring growing giving on a massive scale. He is the founder of Fundraising Camp and co-founder of GoodJobs.