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United Energy pedal powers Mornington school with $5000 bike donation

Around the Bay naming rights partner United Energy is donating $5,000 to Mornington Park Primary School to pump up their bike ed program and get more students riding.

Mornington Park Primary School have a big focus on making it easier for students to live active, healthy lives and will use the money to buy a new fleet of bikes.

Tim Fitzpatrick, PE teacher at the school, said that the bike ed program teaches kids who might not have any bike experience how to stay safe on the roads and the basics of how to maintain a bike.

“The donation by United Energy means that we can invest in more bikes for the bike ed program, and that means getting more kids involved in a way that directly benefits both their personal health and their confidence,” Mr Fitzpatrick said.

Jai, a Mornington Park PS student, keen BMX rider and a participant in the bike ed program, said the United Energy donation means more of his friends can get involved in his favourite hobby.

“It’s really cool that we’re getting more bikes and I’m really looking forward to taking part in Around the Bay with some of my mates,” he said.

“You don’t even know you’re exercising when you’re out on the bikes. It’s just heaps of fun.”

Mornington PS have been involved in Bicycle Network's Ride2School program for some time, regularly submitting HandsUp! data and using bike education lesson plans to help teach students bike skills and safety.

Bicycle Network is thrilled to see the school be so proactive in getting students active and using bikes to transform their lives.

In 2017 the school received a Ride2School grant for a new bike shed to house bikes they already owned.

The donation from United Energy will help fill the shed up and mean more students can learn to ride and have fun together.

United Energy’s General Manager Corporate Affairs Jo Pafumi said the donation was about getting children hooked on healthy living from a young age as well as about teaching them how to be safe on the roads.

“As an electricity distributor, we’re on top of connecting communities across Victoria, but we do more than own and operate the power poles and wires,” Ms Pafumi said.

“We want to play an active role in these communities, supporting local programs that are having a positive impact on the ground,” she said.

Mornington Park PS will be riding United Energy Around the Bay on Sunday 7 October and you can join them.

Entries are still available at aroundthebay.com.au, and with free tickets for children, it's easy to get the whole family riding.

Enter Around the Bay

Students at Mornington Park PS joining in the school's bike ed program.