Family hit the trail on bikes
Share the Ride gets kids on their own mountain bikes
The Wilson children have always wanted to be able to bike to school. Soon they’ll get the chance, thanks to Mountain Bike Rotorua’s Share the Ride programme.
Share the Ride, with Crankworx, aims to give families in need a chance to explore one of Rotorua’s “greatest assets” and get active while doing it, Crankworx organiser Tak Mutu said.
In just six weeks, 10 families are taught riding and first aid skills, bike maintenance and can try a few mountain biking trails.
After all their hard work, the families are rewarded with new Giant bikes and helmets.
Among them are four Rotorua children who will get the chance to have something to call their own.
Kayanne Wilson applied to take part in the programme for two years and this year her persistence paid off.
With husband Shane, the children were “buzzing” to start the weekend.
Wilson said the kids were “sporty” but none had a bike so getting a new one each would be a huge treat. programme this
“We are pretty used to hand-me-downs that are half broken. They can have something to call their own.” Wilson said the programme would give the kids “more independence and responsibility”. “They’ve always wanted to be able to bike to school.” The initiative had been going for five years and had made a huge difference for many in the community, Mutu said.
But this year, for the first time, sponsorship had made it possible to offer extra placements to children and their parents.
Mutu said kids in the programme often continued to ride afterwards, and even had a go at racing at Crankworx. “It’s pretty rad.” Wilson said her family were “so thankful” and hoped they could pay it forward in some way. Rotorua Daily Post