ELDERLY people look set to enjoy pedal power earlier than expected after a Tranent charity group threw its weight behind a new cycling initiative in Musselburgh.

In a social media whirlwind last week, the Tranent-based Walk With Scott Foundation offered match funding of £3,500 if Cycling Without Age (CWA) Musselburgh managed to raise the same amount, enabling a trishaw – a three-wheel cycle with a passenger cab – to be bought at a cost of £7,000 for use in the local area.

Firefighter Ewan Dawson, from Musselburgh, who along with wife Morna launched CWA Musselburgh recently, said the crowdfunding took off and they were now on the road to fundraising for a second trike.

He said: “I tweeted the Walk With Scott Foundation just really to ask for a follow and retweet to raise awareness.

“We were sitting wondering what to do about our race night suddenly clashing with a re-arranged Edinburgh football derby and its potential knock-on effect on our attendance when we got Scott’s amazing offer through. They said if we get to £3,500 they’d match it to take us to the £7,000 target.

“The first donation came in about 10 minutes later and they didn’t stop all night. Then they started again the next morning until we reached the £3,500. So, we now have enough to order a trike right away. Obviously we still have outstanding funding applications and there’s no way of knowing how all this may affect any decision-making processes but we’ve intimated clearly on social media that we don’t just stop at £3,500, we keep going and raise as much as we can. We think we could push on for a second trike.”

The Walk With Scott Foundation was set up by Tranent fundraiser and comedian Scott Glynn and his supporters following the success of fundraising walks.

Over the past five years about £215,000 has been raised for charities and good causes. Scott underwent a liver transplant after being diagnosed with cancer last year.

The foundation’s work has included providing rempods, pop-up reminiscence rooms which have been proven to help people with dementia, for use in care homes and day centres in East Lothian. It supports other groups and projects across the county.

Ewan said: “I am completely overwhelmed by the Walk With Scott Foundation donation. Their fundraising efforts are absolutely legendary and for an organisation such as theirs to agree that we’re doing a good thing means the world to us.”

A non-profit volunteer group, CWA, which was founded in Denmark in 2012, provides cycle pilots to take older people and care home residents out and about. The trikes have to be ordered from Denmark and one should now arrive in the Honest Toun in the next two months.

A race night takes place at Musselburgh Rugby Club on March 9 to raise funds and there another couple of events in the pipeline.

Karen Kidd, secretary/treasurer of the Walk With Scott Foundation, said: “We’re absolutely delighted to be able to support this cause. It is one with very similar values as ours.”

Scott will also mark seven months since undergoing his liver transplant by holding a 30-mile charity walk on May 5. Walkers will head from the town out along the coast to Spittal, near Longniddry, before turning inland to Haddington and back through Pencaitland, Ormiston, Whitecraig and Musselburgh, finishing in Prestonpans.

The walk is the second since the foundation was launched and is open to anyone.

To donate to CWA Musselburgh, go to justgiving.com/crowdfunding/cycling-without-age-musselburgh

For more information on the walk, visit walkwithscottfoun dation.org or email walkscott foundation@gmail.com