Eighty children from 17 schools in west Auckland received free bikes and helmets today, thanks to Variety – the Children’s Charity and Auckland Transport, who worked together to raise funds as part of the Auckland Bike Challenge in February.

More than 5000 people completed the Bike Challenge, raising funds to purchase 80 bikes and helmets for children from low-decile schools.

Auckland Mayor Phil Goff thanked everyone who had raised funds to purchase the bikes.

“Cycling has a range of benefits for kids—it helps improve health and fitness and promotes independence and confidence. It’s also great for the environment—helping to reduce carbon emissions and reducing traffic on our roads.

“Not every family can afford a bike for the kids, so this initiative is also a great way to help communities and ensure the benefits of cycling can be enjoyed by more Auckland children.”

Auckland Transport partnered with Variety to raise funds through its annual bike challenge, which saw more than 5000 people across Auckland riding, including 1179 new riders who rode almost 1 million kilometres.

The Auckland Bike Challenge is part of a national campaign, the Aotearoa Bike Challenge, being run by the New Zealand Transport Agency, Love to Ride, councils, and other local partners around the country.

Variety – the Children’s Charity has been operating in New Zealand for 30 years, helping to give disadvantaged Kiwi kids the childhood they deserve – through a range of different programmes and initiatives.

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