The Eco Textil Foundation and the Polish Red Cross: Tour de Pologne for people with disabilities and media relations

During the 76th edition of the largest cycling event in Poland, the first in the history of Tour de Pologne for disabled people took place, a few hours before the final entry of cyclists. Our agency, together with the Eco Textil Foundation and the Polish Red Cross, was responsible for the organization of this unique event and its promotion in the media.

 

About the client

The Eco Textil Foundation was established in 2012 by the company Wtórpol, which introduces textiles to secondary circulation. From the beginning of its activity, it has focused on helping people struggling with various types of disabilities. The Foundation, as the only one in Poland, provides rehabilitation equipment free of charge for private individuals and to a network of nationwide rentals. Their number is constantly growing due to huge interest and demand. The Foundation has already opened over 225 stationary rehabilitation equipment rentals, it also runs free online rental.

 

Goals and Challenges of the Project

The main goal of our activities was to arouse interest in the organization of a unique event and attract participants of the ride, as well as media interest in a topic that was attractive to (however) a specific group of people. For us, however, nothing is impossible, because we know how to communicate in an appropriate way about topics that are not necessarily light, but very important.

 

Implementation of the Project

The joyful news about participation in the 76th edition of the Tour de Pologne was communicated in June on the official profile of the Foundation, which brings together an extremely committed community of people with disabilities and their relatives. We immediately announced that among the beneficiaries of the Eco Textil Foundation and the Polish Red Cross, we are looking for people using tricycles who want to take part in the ride. They could be all cyclists using the equipment provided by the Foundation and the Polish Red Cross. The reports contained a brief justification of why a specific person would like to participate in the ride, a photo by bike, and contact details.

The number of applications exceeded our wildest expectations! Participants were reported by friends, teachers, family, and guardians. We received a lot of happy and optimistic, but also touching stories. The applicants described the great determination, strength, and joy of people with disabilities as well as their enormous commitment to an active and sporty lifestyle. We learned how the adventure of cyclists on three-wheeled bikes began and how they are now pursuing their passions.

 

 

From among many applications, we chose eight people who were invited to participate in the ride. We published their stories and photos on the Foundation’s profile, and there were a lot of comments under the posts, in which their relatives cheered on the cyclists and congratulated them. Posts with cyclists’ stories were so popular that there were discussions in which other people described their adventures with tricycles.

 

 Organization of a historic event

Once the entire team of eight participants had been selected, logistical preparations began and the organization of the entire event on the spot. We were responsible for contacting the families of the participants, providing them with all information about the journey and reaching the place, as well as obtaining the relevant data and documents. We also prepared graphic materials that were available at the Polish Red Cross stand located in a cycling town.

Our task was also to contact the media and publicize the entire event. We invited relatives and friends of our participants, journalists, and all other people who wanted to experience this wonderful day with us to cheer together in Zabrze.

On August 5 in Zabrze, long before the trip, we met with all the participants and their families. There were lively conversations and joint exercises on tricycles. At 2 p.m. it is time for a historic event – exceptional cyclists proudly completed the “special stage” with the support of their relatives and fans, who came to the finish line in so many ways. All three-wheeled cyclists received commemorative medals and many gifts during the ceremonial decoration.

 

 

The Effects of Our Activities

In addition to the huge success of the event itself, almost 50 publications on the subject of the journey appeared – in local and national media and on portals concerning people with disabilities.

It is also worth adding that the organization of the trip was aimed at showing that people with disabilities can spend their time actively and join sports activities. The event was also a way of thanking people who donate unnecessary clothes and textiles to containers marked with the PCK or Eco Textil logo, because it is thanks to funds obtained from recycling clothes that three-wheeled bicycles are given to disabled people.