Riding for a good cause

More than 300 people people will ride their bikes across the Lower South West this weekend in support of youth mental health. Now in its fifth year, the Rotary Tour of the Blackwood starts by the banks of the Blackwood River, taking riders through Bridgetown, Balingup and Nannup. All money raised by the event will be donated to Blackwood Youth Action, a not-for-profit organisation which provides psychological support services and mental wellness programs for at-risk youth in the region. Tour Committee chair Mike Fletcher said there was a lot of excitement leading up to the race after last year being cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “There’s quite a bit of enthusiasm there,” he said. “The cause, of course for youth mental health in the region, is pretty important so there’s a really good feeling.” Mr Fletcher said he thought the tour had been highly successful since it began, raising about $125,000 so far. “The amount of money we’ve been able to raise in those five years has been tremendous,” he said. “We’ve got some sponsorship now as well, but through MyCause, riders can ask their friends to sponsor them as well, so we don’t just get money from registrations, we get it from the riders themselves who put it out there and get people to sponsor them. “Then that money goes directly back to Blackwood Youth Action for mental health.” Mr Fletcher said he invited everyone to come and enjoy the day, even if they were not riding. “I certainly encourage anyone to come down to the Blackwood River Park and see the finishing,” he said. “There’s three levels of ride — there’s the 135km, the 65km, and the 30km, they all finish at the park anytime from about 11.30am to 2pm. “There’s activities and food down there and we’ve got a whole range of riders so it’s going to be a great day.” World Championship cyclist Steele Bishop will also be returning to the tour this year. The first group of riders sets off at 7am on Saturday.