Senior Constable Jeff Martin has a new learning aid to help teach kids about cycle safety, thanks to the generosity of a local bike shop.
For more than 20 years, the team at Around Again Cycles have been keeping Cantabrians moving - repairing and restoring second-hand bikes. They’re passionate about all things cycling, including safety.
When Jeff approached the team for an old bike to use to talk to primary school children about bike safety, they were only too keen to help.
The team purpose-built him a demonstration bike, complete with working brakes and reflector lights, but small enough to transport easily.
“It’s so much easier to explain the safety features of a bike when I have a working model,” says Jeff. “It’s compact enough that I can take it from school to school easily. It’s also great for the visual learners.
“The kids always ask ‘Is that your bike, Constable Jeff?’ It’d take me a while to get to work if it was!” He lives more than 40km from his home station.
As a School Community Officer, Jeff supports Christchurch City Council’s Cycle Safe programme by talking about cycling and law.
“The Cycle Safe team do an amazing job. They visit primary schools and over two days they check the kids’ bikes and helmets, talk about the importance of being visible and teach them the road rules.
"Then they go out on the road and practise what they’ve learned. It’s a bit like getting a licence to ride.
“It’s really great that community members have also got behind the programme because when those kids hit the road, they become road users like everyone else – and our roads need to be safe for everyone. We’re so grateful for their generosity.”
