A group of cyclists raising money for under-privileged children in New Zealand and overseas has left Whangarei Heads primary school bound for Wellington.
The six riders, including an Anglican deacon from Onerahi and a Whangarei pastor, gathered at the school for breakfast yesterday morning before mounting their bikes and beginning their
long journey.
The Poverty Cycle event, which will see riders converge on Wellington from Invercargill and Whangarei, is being run by the Christian aid and development organisation TEAR Fund NZ and hopes to raise $500,000 for at-risk children in New Zealand and overseas.
Whangarei Heads primary school children gathered to hear about the event before performing their school song Kua Tae and cheering the riders on their way.
Eleven-year-old Hiromi Beran said she thought the event was a good idea although she was not certain she would want to enter herself.
"It's pretty cool. For me it would be a bit awkward because I can bike but I can't bike too long."
Onerahi deacon Paul Doherty, who also runs a cycle tour business, said the event combined his love of cycling with his desire to help young people in need.
"I really want to support TEAR Fund and TEAR Fund's work, especially in bringing hope to young people here and overseas.
"For me, transport is a big factor in how we engage with our communities and the bicycle is a wonderful symbol of freedom, it's cheap and it gives us a great sense of freedom. That's one of the things I'm keen to promote. Gandhi had the spinning wheel, I have the bicycle."
Mr Doherty will ride to Auckland on the first two days of the tour before handing over to other riders. Equip pastor Bruce Corcoran plans to ride all the way to Wellington, a journey he expects to take 11 days.
He said he was not worried about the distance as he trains regularly for competitive cycle racing events.
The Poverty Cycle event was a good chance to help raise funds for TEAR Fund and get away from the pressures of daily life at the same time, he said.
"I've just started a three-month sabbatical, so it's a good way to start to clear my mind," he said.
