Local cyclists have raised more than $15,000 for BackTrack - and the youth work charity will use the money to send two of its boys on a charity ride in Thailand.
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"We're extremely excited to have received the money," BackTrack's social enterprise manager Marcus Watson said. "We feel it's a nice link to put it back into bike riding!"
Chartered Accountants ANZ's fifth annual Tour de North West on Saturday, October 27, raised $7,667 for the charity, as more than 200 cyclists rode from Petersons Guesthouse & Winery Armidale to Gostwyck Chapel and the Blue Hole and back.
The accountants wanted to support a local charity this year, spokeswoman Jocelyn Berry said. "The impact BackTrack has on these young people is truly inspiring; it's incredible to see them turn their lives around and believe in themselves again."
The accountants' associates at the Count Charitable Foundation matched the money raised; the sum reached $15,167.
"This is an incredible amount, and we thank from the bottom of our hearts all the participants who gave so generously!" Armidale accountants Roberts & Morrow wrote on Facebook.
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BackTrack boys Alex and Tom and youth worker Matt Pett will ride 800 km across Thailand in January, raising money in their turn for Hands Across the Water, an Australian charity that helps Thai children in trouble.
This is the first time the boys have been to Thailand. (Two boys trekked the Kokoda Trail earlier this year.) To train, Mr Watson said, Tom and Alex are cycling around the region, trying to get their legs up to speed - because they will ride 100 km a day for eight days.
"These boys haven't really been long-distance riders," Mr Watson said. "It's certainly been a big step up for them, but they're starting to catch the bug, I think! By the end, they'll enjoy cycling."
The boys will be part of a bigger team on their ride following the Mekong River through remote villages and rural communities seldom visited by westerners. The Ride to Provide raises funds for the Thai charity to shelter, clothe, and educate youngsters.
"One of BackTrack's underpinning values is generosity," Mr Watson said. "This involves some of our boys in something where they give back. But it also walks out the idea of setting up a big goal and overcoming barriers towards achieving that goal. They're going to ride this big ride; they've got to learn some new skills, and overcome a bit of pain."
BackTrack invites the public to join Tom and Alex for their final training ride at UNE's mountain bike track on Tuesday, December 3, from 5.30 to 8pm.
The fastest cyclist will receive a trophy handcrafted by the BackTrack boys. There will also be a barbecue and a fund-raising raffle; prizes include a hardwood picnic table the boys built themselves, a Bunnings hamper, and a BackTrack DVD and book.
Ms Berry thanked the sponsors of the Tour de North West, National Australian Bank (Local Branch) and MYOB Australia; the supporters: Armidale Bicycle Centre, Armidale Cycling Club, and St John Ambulance; and the huge number of volunteers who make it all possible.
