Cycling fundraise rw ill help grant Rosie ’sw ish
Going to the beach on a summer’s day or into the lush bush will be a little easier soon for a Nelson girl, thanks to a Paraparaumu cyclist’s fundraising tour of New Zealand.
Ka¯piti Coast man David Cunningham, who retired as chief executive of The Co-operative Bank in July, is cycling the length of New Zealand from Bluff to Cape Reinga to raise money for Make-A-Wish Foundation, which grants life changing wishes for children with critical illnesses.
He hopes to raise $30,000 for the foundation – having already raised more than $14,000.
Some of the money raised by Cunningham will go towards buying a
Hippocampe all terrain wheelchair for sixyear-old Nelson girl Rosie Riley, who has cerebral palsy.
This week Rosie and her family, along with Make-A-Wish volunteers Carol Parkinson and Janet Growcott met Cunningham when he stopped off in Nelson before cycling north.
Rosie’s mum Annie Riley said Rosie wanted to be like any other six-year-old and go to the beach or on walks in the bush or by the riverside, ‘‘but she can’t because her wheelchair is so heavy and gets caught’’.
‘‘One of the most important things for her is to be involved in what everyone else and her family is doing,’’ Riley said.
She said Cunningham’s effort to fundraise for Make-A-Wish was wonderful. ‘‘To go out of retirement and decide to do something like this is pretty amazing,’’ Riley said.
Cunningham began his ride on October 25, cycling about 120-130km most days. His wife and children were following him in a motorhome.
He’s due to set off on the North Island leg of the journey tomorrow.
He has done previous fundraising cycling tours in Europe which raised $100,000 for charity. The combination of personal challenges and raising money for great causes was what he loved to do.
A friend involved with Make-A-Wish Foundation spoke with such passion about the difference the charity makes to children’s lives that he decided he wanted to raise money for it, he said.