Waiouru cycle helmets scheme

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 6, Issue 309, 17 October 1989, Page 8

Waiouru cycle helmets scheme

BY

Phdlippa

french

"It's cool to wear a cycling helmet, it's not cool to have brain damage." That's the idea the Waiouru Resource Centre is trying to get across to Waiouru children and their parents.

To have all Waiouru children who ride bikes wearing helmets is a task that the Resource Centre people have set themselves. The idea came up at a recent Waiouru Community Health Watch meeting as Suzanne SimmonsKopa is on both the Health Watch Committee and Resource Centre committee she felt it would be worthwhile project. The first step was to write to the "Protect the Brains Trust," to register as a branch, who replied and sent a starter kit. The Protect the Brains Trust is trying to make the wearing of cycling helmets mandatory, and to make this possible a certain percentage of children must have helmets already. Mrs Rebecca Oaten is to come to Waiouru on 7 December to talk to children, parents and anyone who is interested about the importance of wearing helmets. Mrs Oaten's son has suffered brain damage from a cycling accident. Suzanne SimmonsKopa says Waiouru people have a false sense of security in thinking, because the speed limit in camp is only 30 kph, their children are not in danger, A child can suffer brain damage by falling off a bike in their own back yard, she says. The hats normally would cost $40 but to assist families the resource centre has set

up a scheme where they subsidise each hat by $15.00. Any child or parent intending to purchase a helmet should go first to the Resource Centre where they can be given a $15.00 discount voucher. The hats come in two sizes, either 'infant to

five' or 'five years and onwards', is is just a matter of changing the pads on the inside to adjust to the size of the childs head.

To be able to subsidise the hats the resource centre has asked local Waiouru clubs and businesses for donations. Suzanne says although initial response has been slow, she feels confident the local clubs and businesses will support such a worthwhile project.