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Police bikes recycled and
ready for African charity adventure
BIKES donated by Merseyside Police have
been fixed up and made race ready by Savio Salesian College students to be used
in an epic charity bike ride in Africa.
Savio Salesian College teacher James Denis and CAFOD's representative in
Merseyside Stephen Burrowes will join Team Tanken 2016 in a ride from Tanzania
to Kenya, in order to raise awareness and funds for CAFOD and Medaille Trust
projects.
Community engagement has spread across the North West of England in support of
the bike ride to Africa. Cycle Recycle, in Clitheroe, have generously donated
panniers and spare parts for each rider. Knowsley Safari Park have donated
sturdy helmets for each rider. Primary schools have been giving the riders
mascots, so far these include; an elephant, giraffe, monkey, lion and a goat.
Merseyside Police Schools Officer, Constable
Rebecca Snape, donated 4 unclaimed abandoned bikes. She said:- "As a
Schools Officer I work closely with the staff and pupils at Savio Salesian
College. So when they asked if we had any bikes they could do maintenance on as
part of their Duke of Edinburgh award scheme, I checked with our property
department who had four found bikes that were ideal.
The pupils have done a brilliant job, and their maintenance work will really be
put to the test when a teacher from the school is joined by three others to
cycle them across Tanzania and Kenya. It is wonderful to think that bikes
found abandoned here in Merseyside have been put to such good use, to help young
people develop skills, raise money for charity and that ultimately they will be
given to health workers in Nairobi."
James Denis said:- "Following a
successful bicycle maintenance course with pupils from the Bosco Unit at Savio,
we introduced a number of Duke of Edinburgh pupils to the project as part of
their Volunteer section. We are proud of these pupils, who volunteer two hours
of their time each week to learn how to repair bicycles donated by the Police
with the purpose of donating these to the community in Kenya."
Steve Burrowes, CAFOD Representative in Merseyside, said:- "Thanks to the
Merseyside Police and the students of Savio Salesian College for their kindness
and generosity, for going the extra mile to help benefit our worthy causes."
On 4 August 2016, riders from the UK and Kenya will begin riding over 200 miles, from
Tanzania to Kenya. Team Tanken 2016 consists of 6 riders, including Joseph Kamau,
Director of Caritas Kitui in Kenya.
Steve Burrowes, CAFOD Representative and member of Team Tanken 2016, said:-
"We're all looking forward to the gruelling adventure of riding across the Masai Mara, in Kenya, we're sure it'll
be great fun and the adventure of a lifetime, as well as helping people
significantly less fortunate than ourselves."
There's still time to sponsor Team Tanken2016. To find our more, please
click
here.
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