Bikes4Kids 100 Bikes for Christmas

100 BIKES FOR CHRISTMAS!

PLEASE NOTE: Applications close Friday 15th November 2024

There is nothing quite like riding a bike, that makes a child’s face light up with joy.
The feeling of the wind blowing in your face as you experience travelling faster than you ever thought you could with your own legs, is a feeling that no child should be denied of. It is the sense of freedom, the reason for being out and about and an effective way to finding your sense of belonging in your street and in your neighbourhood.

About The Program
The Variety Bikes4Kids Program aims to give the gift of freedom, independence, exercise and joy to children who are sick or have additional needs, or those who have never been fortunate enough to have a bike of their own.

The Recipients
The target of this program are children who either have never owned a bike or only ever had second hand bikes passed down that do not last long.
Variety Tasmania will promote this program and work with schools, local welfare and support agencies to identify those children without a bike, to provide them with this basic childhood need.

100 Bikes For Christmas
In honour of our dear friend Matt Richards we ramped up our efforts in 2021 by granting 85 bikes and helmets to kids for Christmas – many of whom had never had a bike before. Matt joined TasBash as Captain of Connie the Cow in 2019 and during that short time, the team raised $90,000 for Variety. Matt tragically passed away in November 2021.
Matt had the biggest heart. Two of his great passions were helping kids and riding bikes – he loved combining these two, by donating bikes to children who had never had one. Matt loved seeing their little faces light up when they realised the bike was theirs for good.
At Christmas time of the same year we were proud to join with Matt’s wife Kristie and son Max to deliver the bikes to three groups that were very close to Matt’s heart; Launceston Benevolent Society, Launceston Women’s Shelter and Beaconsfield Primary School, where Matt went to school.

3 adults and a child pose with bikes and helmets.
L-R: Rodney Spinks, Mohammad Aldergham (CEO Variety Tasmania), Kristie and Max Richards

In 2023 we suceeded in our mission to deliver “100 bikes for Christmas” for kids in the north of Tasmania, and this year we’re sharing the love with 50 bikes allocated our kids in the north and 50 bikes for the south.

To nominate a child from your school or organisation who is in need of a bike please
 CLICK HERE

In order to be eligible for the program, a child must:

  • Be experiencing disadvantage
  • Be aged between 10 – 17 years
  • Not already own a bike, or own one that is in working order
  • Not have previously received a bike from Variety
  • The Child resides in postcodes:
    NORTH – 7248, 7249, 7250, 7252, 7253, 7258, 7267, 6268, 7270, 7275, 7276, 7277, 7290, 7291, 7292, 7301
    SOUTH – 7000, 7140

Please note:

The bikes are presented to successfully nominated children during a presentation in December each year. The number of bikes available are limited and are allocated based on the the requirements listed above, and on a first come, first served basis.

The bikes are a standard bike provided by Anaconda and do not cater to disabilities.

Thank you to the team at Anaconda who continue to support this very special tribute.