Bicycle Network: Ride On magazine

Five Australian cyclists will ride from London to Melbourne over the next 14 months to raise funds for tackling child trafficking.

The group, known as Ride2Rescue, will start their 26,000km journey on April 30th, and travel through 27 countries.

Team leader Daniel Seehusen said: “The journey will take 14 months, riding five to six days per week with one to two days off for recovery. There will potentially be a one-week break half way through the trip.”

The team aims to ride 100km per day, unsupported and carrying all their own equipment.

“Aside from the mental and physical challenge of this epic ride, the route will take the Ride2Rescue team to various Child Rescue Rehabilitation centres and projects. The team will also travel through child trafficking hotspots throughout the Middle East and South East Asia,” said Seehusen.

The funds raised by the team will go to World Vision Australia’s Child Rescue. Child Rescue provides rehabilitation and support for children who are at risk of, or have been the victims of exploitation and abuse.

Child Rescue also supports children who are made vulnerable by terrible circumstances and who cannot be reached by Child Sponsorship. More specifically the organisation supports:

• Rebuilding the lives of trafficked children in South East Asia
• Provision of health support to homeless children throughout South America
• Education for children on their basic rights in war-torn regions of the Middle East
• The rehabilitation of child soldiers in Central Africa

Ride2Rescue has the endorsement of actress and producer Trudie Styler, who is married to musician Sting. Styler is currently an ambassador for UNICEF.

In a joint statement, Styler and Sting said: “We are proud to be able to support the amazing Ride2Rescue London to Melbourne cycle trip. We have known Daniel Seehusen for almost a year now and for him to be part of such an ambitious adventure comes as no surprise, because he has such tremendous drive, energy, self-assurance and a genuinely big heart. Child trafficking is a global problem and one of humanity’s most terrible crimes, and one which should be exposed and tackled as a matter of urgency. We applaud these five guys for their commitment to this cause, and wish them all the luck in the world”.

The other members of the team are: John Clark, Aaron Turner, Tim Holman and Nick Kane.

For more information, visit www.ride2rescue.org