Bikes in Schools Gets Funding Boost From ACC

Tuesday, 24 March 2015, 2:40 pm
Press Release: Akina Foundation

Bikes in Schools Gets Funding Boost From ACC

Announced on Friday March 20 by Minister for ACC, Nikki Kaye, $600,000 is being invested in Bikes in Schools over the next 3 years. This funding will enable more New Zealand children to receive the positive benefits of regularly riding a bike within their schools.

Bikes in Schools provides safe, accessible and replicable cycling environments for primary school children throughout New Zealand. Bikes in Schools was started in 2010 by charitable trust ‘Bike On’, which helps schools secure funding to provide bikes, helmets, riding tracks, bike storage facilities and cycle skills training for students.

“Watching these kids tearing up the bike track, you can see how confident they are having learned how to ride a bike properly and safely. That’s a life skill that will serve them well when they play sport, when they learn to drive and in everyday life. That’s why ACC is so proud to support Bikes in Schools,” says Nikki Kaye, Minister for ACC.

Bikes in Schools is supported by the Ākina Foundation which has a mission to grow the emerging social enterprise sector in New Zealand. Together with their partner, NZ Post, Ākina has helped Bikes in Schools director, Paul McArdle, develop a more sustainable business model.

The implementation of the programme has seen a steady success in the last four years. Over 30 schools have adopted Bikes in Schools to date – reaching over 7,000 children aged between 5 and 11. Ākina will continue to support Bikes in Schools through its next phase of development, helping the organisation manage the growth, deliver on its commitments and embed a financially sustainable model.

Independent analysis conducted in 2013 confirmed that Bikes in Schools deliver an average 2% reduction in obesity, an increase in fitness and wellbeing and an increase in confidence and self-esteem amongst children. School children who have benefited from the programme to date are feeling happier and are achieving better results at school.

"Bikes in Schools has shown that proving results sets you up for greater investment, growth and impact. So because they’ve done their homework, it means thousands more kids are going to have fun, be healthy, study harder and stay safe." comments Alex Hannant, Chief Executive, Ākina Foundation

ENDS

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