The inaugural SMEC ride for Hope2Day was a success raising approximately $3500 for charity Hope2Day. Our valued participants were single handedly responsible for raising these much needed funds.

Approximately 27 attendees departed for a challenging 120km loop through the Perth Hills. Two groups formed on the road, one averaging around 28km/hr and the other close to 31km/hr across 1300meters of climbing elevation. Veris Racing athletes were on hand to assist and pace participants across the course.

It is our aim to utilize Hope2Day’s mentoring program alongside our own workshops, facilitated by Veris Racing athletes, which educate youths in the Goldfields region about health, wellbeing and physical exercise aspects central to cycling alongside a bike building program. These are largely practical ‘hands-on’ based exercises which include informal exercise testing, training and skills programs for cycling. We see bicycles as a form of empowerment, physical exercise, mental well-being, freedom of transport and a means of attaining autonomy for those that may not have a bicycle.

Hope2Day facilitate youth mentoring programs in area’s of need, through the building and maintenance of bicycles. Youths entering the program are able to keep their bicycles and also offer to build another 2nd hand bike for an individual or charity group. The mentoring process occurs during the bike building phase which lasts up to one week.

Measurable outcomes identified through the mentoring process are as follows:

  • Improved school attendance
  • Increased engagement in the school community
  • Improved engagement in Education (classroom behaviours and work attitudes).
  • 100% completed a bike for another person
  • 100% engaged in rewards based program – now being linked to school community behaviours
  • 30% participants would like to return as a ‘Bike Buddy’ on future programs
  • 30% participants are now actively engaged in other youth/community or mental health services that they were previously not engaged with prior to the program

For more information about the programs please contact us today

Brad Hall

[email protected]

Managing Director, Cycling Development Foundation

We hear from Regional Manager at SMEC, Barry Wilson about the charity events importance from SMEC’s perspective:

Photographs Copyright Maree Laffan Photography