Olivia Poole (Year 12) had credits to gain but a community minded vision to fulfil. She writes about Cycle Forward, the cycling event she created, and how the whole event day unfolded. We’re super proud of you Olivia!
“As a student in a Year 12 Outdoor Education class, I organised Cycle Forward, a team cycling event on Sunday the 18th that challenged participants to ride laps of Te Ara Tupua between 9am and 5pm. My main goals were to bring our community together and raise awareness and funds for two incredible organisations: Cycle Wellington and Riding Without Age Lower Hutt: Riding with Olivia. Both groups inspire people of all ages and backgrounds to embrace a healthier, more sustainable future through cycling. Looking back, we achieved all of that and more.
When the morning kicked off, things started out quiet, with a small number of registrations. However, it didn’t take long for the momentum to build. As the sun came out, a steady stream of interest grew from the public who were intrigued by our event hub on the Petone Esplanade. We had a Riding With Olivia gazebo that engaged with a variety of the public, and our baked goods stall was a massive hit, nearly selling out completely. I am so grateful to both organisations for turning up on the day, as their support ensured that the event ran seamlessly from start to finish.
My absolute favourite part of the day was watching everyone finding their own unique challenge to make the event more memorable. For example, a rider from St Pat’s College wanted to achieve over 100kms and completed over 130kms by the end of the day. Another rider decided to wear a branded t-shirt for all of her chosen sponsors, riding a lap for each t-shirt layer she had on. Also, a late-entry rider decided on a whim that he wanted to try and ride a lap of Te Ara Tupua on a kids-sized bike just for fun.
Overall, there was a profound sense of kaitiakitanga, as people came together to fundraise towards more cycling accessibility and encourage others to get out on their bikes, which advocated for protecting our natural environment. Together we’ve raised almost $2000, and biked over 600kms!
So thank you to Onslow for their support, every rider, volunteer, raffle ticket purchaser and sponsor who chipped in and helped bring my vision to life. I could never have been happier with how the day turned out!”
