Drawing strength from helping others
“After the tragic death of a child you have to find your way again because you are lost in the world. Preston’s death changed me – I’ll say for the better” – Gavin Hynam
tragedy has turned into a legaacy
for Gavin ‘Bear’ Hynam, of Horsham, as he launches an initiative to remember his son, Preston, who died in a car crash 15 years ago.
Mr Hynam said he is keeping Preston’s spirit alive with the creation of ‘Cars 4 Youth’ – a program to help get young people safe and reliable cars once they achieve their licence.
In recent years, Mr Hynam has helped seven drivers obtain cars, and on December 14 last year, he launched ‘Cars 4 Youth’ to recognise the 15th anniversary of Preston’s death.
“After the tragic death of a child, you have to find your way again because you are lost in the world,” he said.
“Preston’s death changed me – I’ll say for the better.
“I would have once called myself not a bad bloke, but after his death, I viewed the world a lot differently and more compassionately.
“I got a soft spot and passion for our rural youth, which is how I came to be involved in the L2P and P21 program run through the Centre of Participation at Horsham.”
The L2P program is a mentor program where young people drive with a fully-qualified passenger for 120 hours, working towards achieving their driver’s licence.
The P21 program is for people aged 21 and older who are trying to obtain their driver’s licence.
Mr Hynam said he joined the program as a mentor after a second training session about 13 years ago and he had lost count of how many young people he had helped learn to drive.
“Cars 4 Youth wasn’t formed at that stage, but I am always trying to come up with fresh, new ideas to help our youth,” he said.
“Suzanne Gatz, Preston’s mum, worked with the migrant and refugee community and we met a young Hazara refugee, Mohammad, who became part of our family.
“Suzanne taught him how to drive, for 120 hours, and that’s who the first car went to. We helped him.
“There were two other cars after that, and in 2022 I decided I would give away two cars, as each year I take about two young people and one migrant, in the P21 program, for their driving hour every Sunday.
“Two cars turned into four cars and in September my daughter Maddie Hynam suggested starting a Gofundme account.”
Mr Hynam said at first, he was speechless, but after thinking about
Maddie’s idea he was on board. “I am passionate about cars. I am passionate about our rural youth and I’m also passionate about the L2P program, so ‘Cars 4 Youth’ came from a combination of that,” he said.
Family plan
“As a family, Suzanne, Maddie and my son Noah, told me I had to come up with a name, so when I was at work sitting on the tractor and I had plenty of time to think, I came up with one.
“Preston’s first car was a yellow Torana, which is the colour of the car on the logo. I had that done up at Mick Harrison Signs in Horsham and the whole family contributed to the story on the Gofundme page.”
The Gofundme page received $7835 from its launch to mid-january, when it was closed.
Three automatic cars were also donated for the cause.
Mr Hynam said he buys cars, makes any repairs needed, gets a roadworthy
certificate and pays for three months of registration on the car before donating it to a young person.
“The first car last year went to a young man who didn’t do the L2P program with me, but I was trying to encourage him to,” he said.
“He got his licence and while I had fixed the brakes, there were some other jobs that needed to be done and I had the parts for it.
“So I gave the young man the car and we agreed he would work with some friends and get the car ready for the road, which he did.
“A workmate knew of someone whose grandmother was handing in her licence and wanted to know if I was interested in a little car.
“I had new tyres put on it and some small jobs done at Rick Smith Motors to make it roadworthy before it went to a young lady who I was driving with who is having a real go and trying to better herself.”
Mr Hynam said the third car came from Rick Smith Motors as another person was handing in their licence and selling their car.
“I’m still driving in the program with the person who received that car and she is working towards her licence,” he said.
“The final car given away last year went to a young lady who contacted me to do her final 10 hours of driving in town, as she had only done rural driving.
“At the end of doing 10 hours, I told her that part of driving with me was receiving a car, so I got the roadworthy done on another car and she drives that now.
“I take the drivers into Vicroads and get the cars signed over into their name with three months registration paid for.”
Mr Hynam said his ‘criteria’ for a young person to receive a car from him was to have had a ‘tough run’ during their life and be ‘having a go now’ to improve themselves and get a licence.
“I’m not super strict on the criteria,” he said.
“I can’t help but want to help these people. When I teach them, and whether we sit in the car for 120 hours or 20 hours, I get to know them because L2P is not only about the drive, it’s about giving advice and being a person they can talk to.
“It’s very rewarding. You get back way more than what you give – this is the little bit I can do for people.”
Building a legacy
Mr Hynam said the response from the Gofundme account was ‘amazing’.
“Thank you to everyone who contributed money or a car. It will make a massive difference to how many cars we get out there for people who need them,” he said.
“So, what will we do with the $7800 – well, I have just paid three months’ registration on one of the cars and one of the cars had a transmission problem, so we have had that fixed.
“With this amount of money, I am hoping to stretch it to between six and eight cars in the next couple of years.
“It’s not all about the money, though. The real thing is keeping Preston’s spirit alive – that is what this is all about.
“The money will help, but Preston lived here for 21 years and I want to remind people of him.
“Despite him not being here anymore, he is where I draw my strength from.”
Mr Hynam said his aim for 2023 was to donate two to three cars to young people.
“One young person I am driving with at the moment has 108 hours to go, so is a long way from needing a car,” he said.
“I have asked the program co-ordinator to look at who else is in L2P who fits the criteria and is close to getting their licence. So, we will see what happens from there.
“Who knows what will exactly happen this year, but whatever it is will be positive and good.”