Belinda fundraises to get on her bike

November 11, 2014

Belinda fundraises to get on her bike

Getting out in Auckland’s great outdoors can be fantastic – but it’s much harder to access in a regular wheelchair.

Red Beach resident and Massey University staff member Belinda Edwards is edging towards her goal of feeling the wind flowing through her hair on her handcrafted bike.

Ms Edwards was born with spina bifida, and completely lost the use of her legs at the age of 15. She’s been in a wheelchair ever since, but that hasn’t stopped her fiercely independent nature.

As the team leader for client services at Massey Albany’s Recreation Centre, Ms Edwards enjoys being active. She wants to train to do a marathon, but to do that, she needed a new bike – one that connects to her wheelchair and gives her the independence to cover big distances and gain a bit more freedom.

She’s done the research and found the best bike to suit her. It was handcrafted in Germany, and she’s taken delivery of it. But she can’t use it yet because there’s no way to transport it safely. She needs to raise $12,000 in total - $10,000 to pay for the bike and $2,000 for the customised frame so she can transport it on her car.

“I’ve been raising funds for this bike for a while now. I’ve sold tickets to movie nights, hosted a quiz night and auction, and I’ll be holding a sausage sizzle outside the Mitre 10 at Albany on Saturday November 15. I’ll be set up from 9am, and I’d love people to come along and support me.”

Ms Edwards has been working with the team at Massey University’s School of Engineering and Advanced Technology (SEAT) at Albany Village to custom design the frame for her car.

“Associate Professor Johan Potgieter and the team at SEAT have been really fantastic with ideas on how to construct the frame for my car. It’s a great project for some of the students to work on, and it’s also helping me out immensely. They have been really supportive in so many ways.

“I’m so grateful to all the people who have supported me so far. I know it seems a lot of money to raise, but I’m confident we will get there. It will make such a difference to me.”

Albany Campus Registrar Andrea Davies and Recreation Centre Manager Richard Hollings are right behind Ms Edwards’ fundraising efforts.

“We’re so proud of Belinda’s drive and determination to succeed. She’s got a fantastic sense of humour, and she really does deserve the very best that life has to offer,” Ms Davies says.

“We fully support Belinda’s efforts to get out in the great outdoors. She is an integral part of the team at the Recreation Centre, and we can’t wait to see her achieve her goals,” Mr Hollings says.

In addition to fundraising for the new bike, Ms Edwards has been saving hard to buy her own specially-modified home in Red Beach. She is still waiting for the final mobility modifications to the house to be finished before she can move in.

“This is an exciting phase of my life, where I can gain more independence, and achieve some of the key goals that everyone strives for,” she says.

Ms Edwards has set up a Givealittle page so people can donate to the cause online: www.givealittle.co.nz/member/DaisyPoppy46a

Event details: Saturday sausage sizzle at Mitre 10 Albany, Saturday November 15, from 9am onwards.

ENDS

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