Kimberly Waters
‘300 Bike Giveaway, thanks to the Bicycle Network Happiness Cycle program, 300 teens will now experience the independence that comes with owning a bike.’
‘300 Bike Giveaway, thanks to the Bicycle Network Happiness Cycle program, 300 teens will now experience the independence that comes with owning a bike.’
‘300 Bike Giveaway, thanks to the Bicycle Network Happiness Cycle program, 300 teens will now experience the independence that comes with owning a bike.’
‘300 Bike Giveaway, thanks to the Bicycle Network Happiness Cycle program, 300 teens will now experience the independence that comes with owning a bike.’
‘300 Bike Giveaway, thanks to the Bicycle Network Happiness Cycle program, 300 teens will now experience the independence that comes with owning a bike.’
300 Bike Giveaway
300 Bike Giveaway
300 Bike Giveaway
300 Bike Giveaway
300 Bike Giveaway
Donning a helmet and jumping on a shiny new bike is practically a rite of passage for every Australian kid and thanks to the generosity of Bicycle Network, 300 teens will now experience the freedom and independence that comes with owning a bike. Bicycle Network Happiness Cycle program manager Gemma McCrohan said a team from the Australia-wide program headed to Redlands last month to deliver hundreds of bikes to a large group of very thankful recipients.
Ms McCrohan said the program, has so far provided new bikes to school-aged students at 23 locations throughout the country.
“It’s called Happiness Cycle because it’s about getting active, moving around and how that can positively affect your life,” Ms McCrohan said.
“We try and go to the areas where kids will most benefit from the program, so that’s young people who might not have the opportunity to buy their own bike and experience the independence that comes with owning a bicycle.”
She said 300 teens aged 13 to 17 travelled from different schools across Redlands on October 10, meeting with the Happiness Cycle team and a group of volunteers to put together their new bikes and learn about road safety.
“It was a really great day and the kids we had were very engaged, they really seemed to take to it,” she said.
“One of the main elements of the day is the young people learning how to build their bike, which takes quite a bit of time and concentration, they were helping each other out and we’ve heard some really nice stories from the local schools.”
Ms McCrohan said the program was aimed at all skill levels.
“The building part is organised chaos,” she laughed.
“The boys generally go hammer and tong without reading the instructions and then have to take three steps back, but the girls often work together a bit more and take it slower.
“The real achievement is when they finish, we give them a briefing on how to maintain their bike and the road rules.
“The best part of the day is when they get to do some skills training and actually ride their bikes.”
She said Happiness Cycle, sponsored by Coca-Cola and local councils, had attracted “great anecdotal feedback” across the country.
“It’s that independence and mobility to move around on your own without waiting for mum or dad that the kids really appreciate,” she said.
“It’s also about providing a social environment and it really means a lot to the students.
“We always get a handful that have no idea how to ride a bike, so we teach them the basics and that’s great to see.”
Redland City Council Mayor Karen Williams, who partnered with Happiness Cycle, said the initiative was a great way to engage youth in the community. “It was wonderful to see a positive outcome for our community, with council working with Bicycle Network, the Smith Family, PCYC and local schools to ensure the day was a great success.” …
