Bikes for Tykes is the answer
The truck pulled into the school grounds almost before the sun was high enough to be visible. The red suite is cast aside, the white beard has disappeared and Father Xmas, aka Rick Bevington, is put away for another year. Now Rick’s alternative persona as a supplier of bicycles to those that need them is under way and loaded on his truck for the presentation.
For the last 11years he scours the Pattaya stores, as early as October, in search of bicycles that are on special offer. In this way he can buy more machines with the limited budget available, which are then presented to deserving children. Although help comes from Pattaya Sports Club and has done for the last 9 years, the balance comes out of his own pocket. Although new and with their wrappings still intact, each bicycle is subjected to the Bevington scrutiny, dismantled and meticulously re-assembled to make sure that everything operates correctly, particularly the brakes.
Rick Bevington, back right, along with William Macey make the latest presentation of Rick’s Bikes for Tyke program to the CPDC.
Bikes for Tykes is a permanent feature in the Pattaya calendar having started in 2004. Donating just 4 bicycles at that time, the numbers have grown to about 40 this year. With recommendations from the teachers, students are selected to receive their prize based on the child coming from a poor family who are not able to provide a motorcycle or any other form of transport resulting in the child possibly walking many kilometers each day to and from school. The other requirement is that the students in question are rewarded for their efforts in their school work, not necessarily the best but having shown that they are trying very hard to improve.
Students at School No. 4, Non Gate Yai and Non Gate Lek, are the lucky recipients this year. The presentation is made first thing in the morning – schools start early in Thailand – when the entire school is assembled and they applaud the children that have received a bicycle. The teachers look forward to Rick’s visit for they know that many children, witnessing this event, will make every effort to be in a position to receive a bicycle next year.
Rick makes a short speech at the presentation to the assembled students emphasizing the importance of safety on the roads and to support this statement he provides a helmet and padlock to each student encouraging all the children to be safe on the roads, particularly when riding a 2 wheeled vehicle.
Rick takes great pleasure in being able to help children in Pattaya. The Pattaya Orphanage and CPDC are just 2 charities that have been helped by Rick. His eyes sparkle when he sees the smiles on the children’s faces. Just before Christmas he donated 6 re-conditioned machines to the Orphanage and more recently, he has put together a bicycle and sidecar which was presented to Toy for the children to be able to walk in the St. Patrick’s Day Parade with their most recent acquisition.
Many families will have purchased cycles for their children over the years which they have grown out of, are broken or rusty and just lying around using up valuable space and getting in everyone’s way. But what do you do with them? The answer is simple, give Rick a call, he will collect them, repair them or use the parts to build other machines which are then donated to various charities in and around Pattaya. If you can help, call Rick on 0860724109.
