Cycling fundraiser to help purchase wheelchair bike

THE Cycling Without Age Burringbar group is running a monster trivia and raffle night to help raise vital funds to purchase a new wheelchair bike worth $23,000.

It will be held on Wednesday, April 9 from 6pm at the Victory Hotel in Mooball.

Prizes on the night include a 12-Person BBQ Houseboat for the Day from Berger Houseboat Holidays, Tweed Heads.

There is also a framed and signed print of cricket legend Adam Gilchrist.

The VeloPlus wheelchair transport bike is designed for transporting people, who can remain seated in their own wheelchair.

The cycling group have been flat out since August, offering free rides on the Northern Rivers Rail Trail in partnership with Tweed Shire Council.

Community Captain at CWA Burringbar Tracey McDonagh said it has been a thrill to provide the service for the community.

“We’ve been overwhelmed with the support,” McDonagh said.

“Competition for grants is steep these days and we’ve got a good relationship with the publican and team from the pub.

“They wanted to help us out and we landed on a trivia night fundraiser with about 28 prizes up for grabs.

“We’ve got one grant about to come in and hopefully we make up the rest for the bike from the trivia night.”

The group took nearly 700 people for rides during the first 12 weeks of the rail trail operation.

Some people have become regulars with bookings in place as far in advance as June.

Ms McDonagh said it has been a rewarding experience being able to provide the service for the disabled and elderly.

“It’s amazing to see the results we’ve had working with groups from the NDIS,” she said.

“They light up when they get here, and you can see how they get more comfortable each time.”

The group hopes to raise further funds to purchase an enclosed trailer to help get the bikes to aged care facilities.

“The idea is to take the ones who can’t leave the nursing home for a ride around the grounds there,” McDonagh said.

“I think that would be great thing to do and we’ve already started talks about how we can do that.”

Raffle tickets are already on sale while tables for the trivia night can be organised by phoning the hotel on 0437 682 557.

Bookings for a ride during the week and the full list of prizes can be found on the Cycling Without Age Burringbar Facebook page.