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Some local children will receive a special Christmas gift this year thanks to Point Wells resident Rick Law, who refurbishes unwanted bicycles and donates them to the Women’s Centre in Warkworth.
Through his Bikes for Kids initiative, Rick collects outgrown or unused bicycles, repairs the brakes, gears and tyres, and polishes them until they look almost brand new.
Each bicycle also comes with a complete package, including a new helmet, tyre pump and a combination lock.
“What I want is for none of the bikes to look second-hand,” Rick said. “My aim is for the children to look at them when they receive them and think they’re brand new.”
For Rick, bicycles also represent freedom and independence for a child.
“When you get your first bike, it’s like the whole universe just opens up.”
Although he enjoys the restoration process, Rick said the most rewarding part was knowing that children would receive something special.
“During Labour Weekend, I spent all three days driving from place to place, looking for and checking bicycles. I collected about 15 in total. Whether the children find their gift under the Christmas tree or receive it another way, knowing they’re going to get something like that makes me feel so good. That’s why I do it.”
The initiative relies on donations from the community, although Rick also pays for some of the accessories himself.
It is not a full-time job, but preparing a bicycle can take several hours, depending on the repairs needed.
“Once I get a bike, I wash it, use products to shine the tyres, and clean and polish the seat and all the metal parts so everything looks good,” he said.
Rick spent more than half his working life in the aviation industry, where he was involved in refurbishing and reconditioning equipment. That experience gave him the skills to restore old items.
The initiative started when a friend wanted to donate a bicycle and was looking for someone who could check it and make sure it was in good condition. Rick offered to repair it and suggested the Women’s Centre as the ideal organisation to help find someone who needed it.
“The centre acts as a bridge between the person providing the bicycle and the person receiving it,” he said. “And I like it that way, because we know the bikes are going to the people who really need them.”
Although the initiative is aimed primarily at children, there is no age limit for receiving a bicycle.
