Central Otago youngsters are set to make the community more road safety savvy.

Forty pupils from Alexandra Primary School, Clyde School, St Gerard’s School and The Terrace School were equipped with new trail safety kits, backpacks and t-shirts after completing the first rangitahi bike ambassadors course.

The two part course finished yesterday (December 3) with outdoor first aid and incident training at The Terrace School and Molyneux Park. 

The programme was developed by Up-Cycles Charitable Trust.

Up-Cycles spokesperson Chris Foggin (Foggie) said it was made possible due to the support of a Dunedin-based philanthropic donor, Sport Otago Tū Manawa fund, Central Lakes Trust and Otago Community Trust. 

“The kids are each getting well kitted out packs, along with an outdoor safety and first aid course, and a COBA [Community of Bike Ambassadors] t-shirt, it’s probably about $500 in value.”

Watch Addison Mulholland (12), Grace Foulds (13), Georgie Miller (12) and Ellena Graves (13) tell The Central App what they enjoyed learning the most during the two day course. VIDEO: The Central App

Course elements included basic helmet checking and fitting, bike parts, bike checks, personal bike skills, how to set up and lead games, being visible, signs, signals and fixing punctures.

Pupils took part in team building, splinting, helmet removal, log rolling, Doctors airways, breathing and circulation (ABC) checks and more outdoor safety scenarios led by medic tutors Charlie Lester-Rosson and Blair Watson from Peak Outdoor Safety.

Blair said it was a good challenge to create content that could be absorbed and retained by a younger audience, but it was lots of fun as the pupils were full of energy and questions.

Medic tutor Blair Watson (centre) holding up a temporary splint bandage while The Terrace School Year 7 pupils (from left) Pacer Sanders (12), Max Ah-Mann and Austin Rivers (both 11) watch on.

St Gerard’s School Year 7 pupils (back) Sofia Baxter (11) and Shiloh Smith (12) practiced initial ABC checks.

St Gerard’s School Year 7 pupil Shiloh Smith (12) said she found the first aid useful.

“It’s really cool knowing you can help each other, or others if you need to,” she said.

St Gerard’s classmates Stefan Delport pretended to have difficulty breathing in this scenario and Daniel Garcia (both 12) rolled him onto his side to help.

Medic tutor Charlie (kneeling) positions Clyde School pupil Jules Thomson (11) in the recovery position while Alexandra Primary School Year 8 pupils (from left) Jackson Conway and Georgie Miller , and The Terrace School teacher Johnny Webster watch on.

Clyde School principal Steph Kitto said the plan was to involve the older pupils to teach bike skills games and safety to the schools’ younger pupils in the future which she hoped would be a lot of fun. 

At the end of the day the pupils received the trail kits to keep and use when out riding their bikes around Central.

Eleven year old Max (left) bandages fellow Terrace school pupil Austin’s knee after a mock gravel scrape mishap on a mountain bike. 

Video highlights (1 min 30 secs) of some of the activities can be viewed here. VIDEO: The Central App

PHOTOS/VIDEO: The Central App

Read more: Rangitahi bike ambassadors programme rolling out

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