70-year-old Cantabrian rides across Australia for Cholmondeley

70-year-old Christchurch man René Heyde is on the adventure of a lifetime biking 4,000 kilometres across Australia to raise money for Cholmondeley Children’s Centre.

Cholmondeley is a Canterbury charity that provides respite care for tamariki aged 5-12 during times of whānau stress or crisis.

The ride is deeply personal for René as he stayed at Cholmondeley twice during his childhood.

“I’ve experienced what it’s like to have a broken family after four years in welfare homes as a child. I know what it feels like for those kids and it rips my heart apart to think about what some of them are going through,” he explained.

René is down to the last 1,000 kilometres of his journey since setting off from Perth on August 1st. He hopes to arrive in Melbourne by early September.

“If I do 100 kilometres each day I should be able to get through it in 40 days. I don’t usually have days off because then you just sit around with nothing to do,” René explained before he started.

He also wants to show ‘old people’ how to live life outside their comfort zones, “you don’t know what you’re capable of or what’s around the next corner so just get out there and do it,” he said.

Cholmondeley Children’s Centre General Manager Toni Tinirau said the centre is following René’s journey every step of the way, “what René is doing for Cholmondeley is nothing short of inspirational.”

Cholmondeley Board Chair Nettles Lamont will be travelling to Australia to bike with René for the last few days of his trip. Long-time Cholmondeley supporter Geoff Loudon from the Dublin Street Trust will assist as support crew.

As a former Commonwealth Games cycling medallist and keen bike-packer René is happiest on two wheels.

In 2023 he did a 1,500 kilometre charity ride from Marlborough Sounds to Milford Sound and then 2,000 kilometres from Cape Reinga to Christchurch to prepare for his Australia trip.

René has set up a Givealittle page with all funds raised donated directly to Cholmondeley.

He has also been posting daily updates throughout his journey on his Facebook and Instagram pages.