USO Cycle Tour spins through Tararua with health message

The cyclists pose with Moana Beveridge and Senior Constable Wayne Churchouse around Martin Beveridge's grave.

A group of cyclists representing the USO Cycle Tour passed through Tararua on Wednesday, November 9, on the second- last leg of a North Island journey promoting the message about the need to improve Māori and Pacifica whanau health.

In 2010, Chris Te’o MNZM took part in Relay for Life Porirua. Inspired by this event and the death of his father from pancreatic cancer, Chris Te’o started the USO Bike Ride journey. In 2011, along with his brother-in-law Mark Lerwill, they cycled from Auckland to Wellington.

The leading pack of USO riders travel the Matamau-Ormondville Road towards Dannevirke.

Since then the group has garnered huge support, which has enabled it to run two North Cape To The Bluff tours and numerous regional rides promoting the ways to ensure Māori and Pacifica health can be improved.

Initially, USO was chosen from a Samoan word that translated meaning brother. Since then its letters have formed the three key objectives of:

■ Understanding – educating about the need to improve community health;

■ Strengthening – showing ways this can happen; and

■ Overcoming – promoting what works

USO Bike Ride is led by Chris Te’o MNZM (Member of New Zealand Order of Merit for services to health, cycling and the Pacific community), Tofilau Talalelei Taufale and Meriama Taufale. Together the trio initiated, shaped and today lead USO.

At first, the focus was on men’s health but over its 11 years the organisation has expanded to include all whanau with the slogan “Whanau united to improving the health and wellbeing in communities through cycling”.

Cycling was Chris Te’o and Mark Lerwill’s way of highlighting the health benefits of the sport. Now it has expanded into educating Māori and Pacifica groups through meetings and visits whenever the tour stops overnight.

This tour started with a 30-strong core of riders in Mangere on November 4 travelling to Hamilton, Tokoroa, Taupo, and Hastings, and finished with Palmerston North then Porirua on November 10.

At Hastings, for example, the tour had a day off from travelling, visiting four schools to talk about good health habits and cycle safety, finishing with a community ride. Some day off!

Meriama Taufele is Martin and Moana Beveridge’s daughter and Moana has been actively supporting the tours since they started, carrying on from Martin who rode most of them before his passing.

For that reason, the tour stopped off at the Dannevirke Cemetery to honour Martin’s memory by his grave – a very moving occasion!

Meriama says support for the cause is growing rapidly. On this tour, riders ranged between 16 and 68 years of age, most of whom are cancer and other health issues survivors. The last leg from Palmerston North started with 34 riders, four from Wellington coming up to show their support.

The USO website has a message for all – Māori and Pacifica in particular. It says:

“For men and women, it starts with a health check. As we age, eg 35+ we need to be more aware of our health. A regular health check will show you exactly where you are and identify areas for improvement.”

“Of course as Polynesian people, we also need to factor in our spiritual, mental, cultural and relationship with self-measures of health and wellbeing in the equation. Once you know where you are at, you can apply the USO acronym and become the best for yourself and your whanau.”