#OutsideIsFree but #theBikeIsnt
Tandem bikes cost over 5 times more than a regular bike
Only 24% of disabled people participate in sport, maily because of cost
Help our members enjoy cycling with a small, tax deductible, gift
Disabled people have 33% higher living expenses
45% of people with disabilities live on or below the poverty line
You can give any amount and give it once or give regularly, and whatever the amount, you can know that you're helping make cycling an activity for all.
Fundraising Progress:
Outisde Is Free
Lots of people love the great outdoors, for surfing, hiking, running, cycling and more. And outside is great, because it's free. It costs you nothing to get up in the morning pull on your shoes, get out on your bike and enjoy outside.
Except for some people it's not quite that simple. If you're blind, vision impaired or have a condition that affects your balance or movement, then going outside is a bit more complex. If you want to ride a bike, the best one for you might be a tandem, which is where Tandem Armidale comes into the picture.
The Bike isn't Free. And that's not the only problem
We provide tandem bikes for our members to ride, so they can get outside and enjoy the great outdoors too. The problem is that tandems are expensive. Not twice as expensive because there's two people, but in the order of at least 5 times as expensive.
Beyond the cost of the bikes, our stokers (the ones who ride on the back), as disabled people, have around 33% higher living expenses owing to their impairments. Not only that, if you're disabled unemployment is around 47%. That leaves 45% of Australians with disabilities living on or near the poverty line.
Help us keep riding with a tax deductible donation
The benefits of exercise are well understood, both for physical and mental well-being. However, participation rates in sport by people with disabilities is around 24% (as opposed to 64% for non-disabled Australians). Studies show that disabled people find much less opportunity to participate in activities outside the home.
These low rates are not because of their disability, as i surveys show that disabled people don't generally regard their impairment as a major reason for non-participation. The primary reason many don't do sport are transportation, supervision, access and cost.
How Your Donation can Help
Our funds are spent on insurance and bike maintinace, with some kept aside to replace bikes over time (and there's some small costs in being Incorporated). No one gets paide to ride, so our costs are really low.
Some examples of how your donation can help keep the Tandem Armidale running are below:
| Once | Per Fortnight | Per Month | Can Help With |
|---|---|---|---|
| $5 | A tube for a tyre | ||
| $10 | A brake cable | ||
| $25 | $1 $26 a year |
$2 $24 a year |
Insure one rider |
| $50 | $2 $52 over a year |
$4 $48 over a year |
A new chain |
| $75 | $3 $78 a year |
$6 $72 a year |
A box of tubes |
| $100 | $4 $104 a year |
$8 $96 a year |
A new casette |
Hint: click any of the suggestions above to donate it.
About Tandem Armidale
This is a complex situation, but Tandem Armidale is here to address these concerns as best we can. With help from people like you, we provide tandem bikes to ride, and we link our disabled and able-bodied members together to ride. We're also run by our members, with both able-bodied pilots and stokers with impairments required by our constitution to be represented on the management committee.
You can find out more about us, and see what's going on by checking out our website.
Help us keep riding with a tax deductible donation
In the Armidale/New England region, see tandemarmidale.com, like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and Instagram or add us to your Google+ circles.
We operate on a budget of around $9,000 per year, and we mostly rely on small donations from individuals. This covers the costs of insurance and keeping our bikes in working order. Everyone volunteers, no one makes a cent, but we do all have fun.