Firemen join funds drive

A group of Wanganui firefighters will head out on the highway this month on a fundraising ride.

The Firefighters Ride For Cancer will see firefighters from around the country ride their motorbikes from Invercargill to Auckland to raise money for the Cancer Society.

New Zealand Fire Service area manager Bernie Rush said he and two or three other locals will join the ride from November 29.

"They leave on the [Cook Strait] ferry that morning and we'll meet them at the Kilbirnie fire station. Then we'll ride with them to Taupo and we'd like to go with them as far as Hamilton."

For Mr Rush the ride is a personal event.

"I'm really lucky, I had melanoma over 20 years ago, but I also know Auckland lost four guys quite close together because of it."

While the main ride won't pass through Wanganui, Auckland firefighter Tony Fill will stop here on his own trip.

The 40-year -ld father of three will set out from Invercargill on November 27 on his 50cc Honda scooter in memory of his mother, who died from a rare blood cancer in 1997.

He expects the 1770km trip to Auckland to take about eight days, compared to the motorbikes' four.

"It's all worked out really well, as I'd been wanting to do a long-distance ride on my scooter for a while. I've been quite lucky as Hirepool have given me a truck to take it down in and use as a crew vehicle, and Bluebridge have offered me ferry crossings," he said.

"Getting out of Wellington will probably be a hassle, but once I'm out on the flat roads north of Levin I'll be away."

Mr Fill is due to arrive in Wanganui on December 2.

To donate to the Firefighters Ride For Cancer go to rideforcancer.org.nz.