Club members Justin Walker & Maddy Shoebridge have just completed an almost 800km e-bike ride from Fremantle to Albany via Brookton, Kulin, Borden, Bremer Bay and Amelup (Stirling Ranges). Battling heavy winds, rain (at times quite severe) and a serious lack of mobile phone coverage they soldiered on to help raise over $5000 for Bicycles 4 Humanity (WA). To top it off....quite literally. Maddy and Justin also climbed Bluff Knoll with Justin beating his previous descent time to get down in just 38 minutes with son Xavier. Justin and Maddy would like to thank the many club members who showed support via donating and to Warwick for seeing us off from Ebikers Fremantle. 

 

 

B4H WA is pleased to announce that container #17 has arrived in Prieska in North Western South Africa.  Container #17 left the B4H Workshop on 24 February 2020 with 420 bikes.  The container was shipped in partnership with Orion Minerals with as ultimate destination the host communities in Siyathemba and Vanwayksvlei.  There was a long delay in getting the container from Durban to North Western South Africa due to Covid transport restrictions.

Orion Minerals covered the shipping and import costs and organised the container offloading.  The bicycles are currently being stored in a Department of Roads and Public Works warehouse where they will be assembled and distributed.

Eight individuals from the community were trained by BEN SA (Bicycle Empowerment Network South Africa).  BEN SA is a public benefit organisation that partners with B4H to provide access to mobility and the opportunities it brings.  BEN SA's initiatives have enabled people to travel further afield for education and work, and help develop new businesses which creates employment in the communities.  Increased mobility has also improved access to healthcare and education.

“Consultation is underway with the Department of Education and schools to distribute an initial batch of bicycles to every school in Siyathemba and Vanwyksvlei at the start of the next school term,” said Orion’s Commercial & Business Support Manager Marcus Birch. It is intended that scholars will be selected by the schools and eligibility will be based on performance and/or the distance of their daily commute.

B4H volunteers are currently working on bikes to fill container #21.  B4H Volunteers are awesome!