TasBC New - October 2021

Welcome to the very first Tasmanian Bike Collective Newsletter!

Why am I receiving this?

You are receiving this newsletter because you are a supporter of the Tasmanian Bike Collective, or because you have signed up. If you’d prefer not to receive this newsletter, no problem. You can unsubscribe here.
How often will I get these?

Our hope is to be able to keep our supporters up to date about 4 times per year. If there’s something special happening, we might squeeze in an extra one. We’ll keep them short and sweet, too. We know you’re busy!
What’s in it for me?

You will learn about upcoming events, special announcements, new initiatives as well as finding out more about what’s happening in the local collectives at Risdon Vale, Huon Valley and …. (there’s a clue. Another collective is starting up in 2022!). You’ll learn about the amazing people who work with our young people, you’ll read good news stories about the lives whose trajectories are being changed, and you’ll get insider information on our growth as an organisation as we provide a safe place for even more at-risk young people in Tasmania to learn and grow.

You can also Like us on Facebook, Instagram and follow us on Youtube for a whole heap of extra news, resources and stories!

New Website!

Launched this week, it has all the up to date info on what we’re up to, how to get involved, what we do and how we go about it.

See www.tasbc.com.au

It also has all the ways you can support us along with stories of the impact we are having in the community.

Bike Collective 24 Hour Event

We’re on the home stretch!

We are using this event as a fundraiser and it is happening on 30 October at Kellevie in south east Tassie.

Registrations are now closed (250 riders!) but you can still get in on the action by coming and enjoying the atmosphere on Saturday 30 October (pm) or Sunday 31 October (am). And of course you can sponsor a rider.

If you don’t know anyone riding in the event, why not sponsor our Huon Valley volunteer Anthony (see his profile below) who is doing the FULL 24 HOURS ON HIS OWN! His sponsor link is here.

PROFILE: Huon Valley Volunteer‍

Anthony Davidson

Anthony studied Science (ecology, botany) at Monash and Melbourne Universities, before working in practical conservation and gardening. He has also worked in outdoor education, including a year at a remote camp in Victoria called Wollangarra, accessed primarily by flying fox across the Macalister River.

His guiding ethos is, "Leave the place better than I find it, make the shallowest of footprints, pull my own weight, live with integrity and answer to my own conscience."

…and he means it. With his dog Tess in tow, he only rides a bicycle everywhere from his home in Pelverata (he rarely used his car, and so sold it earlier this year). Every decision he makes is filtered through the above statement. The young people at the Huon Valley Bike Collective see this integrity and they know he’s for real.

Anthony came to us through his love of bikes. “They’re such beautiful machines - they bring joy, they keep us fit, and they are transport. What’s not to like?” But over time, his focus has shifted. Yes, it’s about bikes, but really, it’s about young people.

“I love working with these guys. They bring a deeper purpose to my life”.

The highlight of Anthony’s year with the Bike Collective has been seeing the personal growth of one of our participants. This young person started out as quiet - timid even - and grew in confidence and resilience. His attendance and results at school have improved markedly, and his relationships are healthier. He now looks confidently to the future.

What’s not to like about that?

What can I do?

We like to keep things simple… so if you want to help, pick any or all of these:

• DONATE BIKES & PARTS: We are always in need of bicycles to work on - especially higher quality (bike shop) bikes. We can make good use of your old roadie, commuter, BMX, mountain bike… whatever! Got friends with old or unused bikes in the shed? Gather them together - we’ll come and pick them up.
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• GIVE: Great programs cost money to run, and we’re growing and expanding - so even more young at-risk Tasmanians can have access to our workshops. Your donation is fully tax deductible too! You can give any amount at any time here.
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• VOLUNTEER: Can you work with young people for a few hours a week? We can teach you to fix bikes - that’s the easy part! Join us and find a “deeper purpose”, just like Anthony.

See? Short and sweet.

Don’t forget to sponsor someone for the Bike Collective 24hr - Anthony’s link is here!

See you next time!

Ant & the team