Donations give pupils easier ride | Hawkes Bay News | Local News in Hawkes Bay

The latest round of donations from the Eastern and Central Community Trust have been allocated, with a substantial amount going towards a new project designed to give children an easy ride at school.

Maraenui in Napier and Peterhead School in Flaxmere have received $8000 each to purchase bikes, helmets and build tracks as part of Bike In Schools pilot programme.

The donation is part of the Eastern and Central Trust's latest funding round, totalling $273,000, for projects in 12 Bay schools and 10 early childhood centres.

The project, launched at St Mary's School in Hastings earlier this year, also received donations from the Endeavour Community Trust, Infinity Foundation, The Jarrod Cunningham Trust and Sports Hawke's Bay.

"It's a unique concept that aims to provide pupils at primary schools with regular access to a bike, bike helmet and tracks to ride on in a safe environment," Bike On New Zealand director Paul McArdle said.

The aim is to teach school children bikes skills so they can become more active and healthy with regular biking.

"Many parents drive their children to school each day so youngsters no longer learn how to ride a bike, and certainly don't ride regularly," trust donations manager Bev Watkins said.

Each school will be provided with 60 bikes and training wheels will be fitted on some to help younger children learn before progressing to a standard bike.

Mr McArdle said the pilot programme had also showed that as children gained confidence, they also learnt to take on increased responsibility. "Teachers have also seen an improvement in classroom performance," he said.