Contact John on mobile (021 444 734) or email [email protected] to donate a bike.

John from Rotary picks up two bikes donated by Jim Corner. PHOTO: Central App

NEWS STORY below was published 3rd November 2022.

Alexandra Rotary has been approached by the Red Cross of Invercargill to assist with providing second hand bikes to refugees settling in the southern city. 

The Red Cross helps refugees through the settlement process and aims to provide a bike to every new settler arriving in the city each year – about 90 bikes in total. 

They regularly reach out around the Otago region for help collecting bikes, and this year Alexandra Rotary is leading the local collection.

Rotary supports many community initiatives and were happy to get behind this one. 

“We can use all sizes of bikes, but especially need adult bikes,” Alexandra Rotary’s John Whitaker said.

“Children outgrow bikes quickly and adults often need the bike for transport. For the first few months a bike is almost always the main form of transport for former refugees, as few have NZ car licences or even access to a vehicle initially.

“The bikes need to be in reasonable condition, not rust buckets that have been at the bottom of the garden for the last five years,” John said. “Think repairs, not rebuilds.“

Volunteers service the bikes and can do small things like replace cables, but trying to fix broken wheels or gears is not cost effective.

John from Rotary picks up two bikes donated by Jim Corner. PHOTO: Central App

Darren from Invercargill Red Cross says gifting bikes is amazingly rewarding. 

“One morning I gave out eight bikes to a family who arrived a few days earlier. They had heard we do bikes and thought they would get one bike for the whole family to share. The joy when they got one each was amazing,” he said.

The family come from the Democratic Republic of Congo. The parents will use the bikes to travel to English classes, the shops and to visit friends. 

If you have old bikes sitting around your place, think about the impact your donation can have on the life of a new New Zealander and get in touch with Rotary Alexandra.

They will make it easy for you by picking up the bikes if necessary. 

If you don’t have a bike to donate, you can always offer to help with this or one of the other community projects Rotary is involved in.

Enquiries about joining Rotary are always welcome, John said. Contact him on 021 444 734 or email [email protected]