Trek helps deserving children

Deserving children throughout Northland have been gifted motorised cars to help with their disabilities and bicycles from charity Trillian Trek.

After a tough 2016 which saw 10-year-old Te Taonga Hook, from Rawhiti, lose his father, suffer a broken vertebrae in his back after a car accident and someone pinching his bike, he was stunned to be presented with a new set of wheels at a special event in Russell.

His Nan Anya Hook says a new bike was the thing he wanted most.

As the introduction to the presentation began Anya says Te Taonga was lost for words, but in private was ‘‘dancing and jigging around, saying ‘‘Nan, Nan I’ve got a bike’’’.

He will be completing the Weet-Bix Kids TRYathlon with his new bike.

The Trillian Trek is the new name for the Variety Bash which has been raising money for New Zealand children in need for more than 25 years. The trek began in Matamata on March 19 with 135 people in themed cars, buses, trucks and fire engines travelling up the west coast to Cape Reinga then back down the east coast, finishing in Whangarei.

This year the organisation has partnered with Blue Light - a registered charity which provides youth support in conjunction with police. Grants, sports gear and equipment for people with disabilities were handed out along the way.

Stops included Russell, Kaeo Primary School, Mangonui Primary School and Ngataki School in the Far North.

Connor Walters, 1, from Herekino was presented with a motorised miniature Gobabygo BMW at Mangonui School.

The car was adapted to fit Connor’s specially designed buggy/ wheelchair seat.

Connor, who was born with dwarfism, will now be able to keep up with his three-year-old brother, his mum Tanya Tanga says.

‘‘We want to thank everybody that got involved, it has been humbling for Connor to get something like this.

‘‘He wants to be a part of the everyday hanging out with his brother, I could see he wants to be running around too.’’

She says she can use a remote to control the speed and direction of the car until Connor can use the steering wheel himself.

Snr Constable Rowena Jones, Lynne Bjarnesen and Courtney Sandilands with Connor Walters and his new car.

Te Taonga, wearing the black shirt was delighted to receive a new bike. He is pictured with members of the Trillian Trek team and his family.