Queenstown planner in 4000km Race Against Time 19 Jun 2014
Related articles
- Niki Roderick Extends Depth To New Zealand Record Sport
- NZ More Interested in All Whites than All Blacks Sport
- Australia Jumping on the Boy Bandwagon Living
- All Whites claim historic point Sport
- Minister launches SmartGate in Wellington Travel
- Awards showcase amazing New Zealanders News
- Prime Minister to travel to South Africa News
- Brownlee Leads Aviation Mission To Shanghai News
- Trams to make a comeback on Auckland’s streets News
- Snow on The Remarkables Living
19 June 2014
Queenstown planner in 4000km Race Against Time
Queenstown planner Carey Vivian will ride his mountain bike 4000km off road from Cape Reinga to Bluff to raise awareness and funds to fight the insidious disease that struck his father two years ago.
Carey officially launches his ambitious ride and fund-raising campaign on Saturday which is Global Motor Neurone Disease Awareness Day. The ride is scheduled for February next year.
He has been riding a bike since he was two years old, is mad keen on cycling and is something of a biking guru in Queenstown where he has helped organise races, develop mountain bike trails, and raise funds for local mountain bike projects.
He has competed in numerous races and is a life member of the Queenstown Mountain Bike Club and a trustee of the Queenstown Trails Trust but says his ‘Race Against Time’ - which will criss-cross New Zealand several times and see him riding an average of 100km per day for six weeks - is his biggest and most important bike challenge yet.
“It is so important because it is personal. It is about using my expertise to help the Motor Neurone Disease Association of New Zealand (MNDANZ) who have been helping my dad since he was diagnosed with the disease in 2012.”
Carey’s dad Barrie Vivian has spent a lifetime designing, making, painting and fixing Carey’s bikes. He has also built several boats, houses, a sports car and even a two-seater aeroplane. Nothing has ever been too hard for him to fix.
“Motor Neurone Disease is something that neither Dad nor anyone else can fix,” Carey says. “Doctors often say they wouldn’t wish this disease on their worst enemy, as nobody understands why it happens and a cure is thought to be lifetimes away.”
Motor Neurone Disease is the name given to a group of diseases which cause the nerve cells – neurones – that control the muscles enabling people to move, speak, breathe and swallow degenerate and die. With no nerves to activate them, muscles gradually weaken and waste away, causing loss of mobility in the limbs, and difficulties with speech, swallowing and breathing. Eventually the disease proves fatal.
Around 300 people in New Zealand live with Motor Neurone Disease. Someone in Australia dies from the disease every day.
Carey credits the MNDANZ with helping his dad come to grips with what he is going through. But like many charitable organisations, they rely on minimal funding and resources.
Having spent a lot of time organising events to raise funds for mountain bike trials in and around Queenstown, Carey realised he could use those skills to raise funds for MNDANZ.
He decided to undertake a charity bike ride with the aim of raising at least $50,000 for the association. He developed the idea into the ‘Race Against Time’, a 4000km off road ride linking all the New Zealand Cycleway Trails between Cape Reinga and Bluff.
Carey admits his ride is less a race and more a planned adventure on which he needs to reach certain places within prescribed timeframes.
“The race part is more to do with the fundraising and public awareness campaigns leading up to my February 2015 start. The name is also symbolic of those with Motor Neurone Disease as many only have a short time to live.”
Carey is in training for the Race Against Time on a bike which his father helped modify for the fundraising ride, a project Carey knows will likely prove to be one of Barrie’s last welding jobs ever.
“At least I know that when it comes time for the ride, I am in safe hands. His welding has never failed me.”
Carey knows the funds raised by his ride will be too late to help his dad.
“What has inspired me and my family is knowing that the funds and awareness raised will help New Zealanders who suffer the same fate as my dad in the future. They, like dad, will be faced with their own race against time to do everything they ever wanted before it is too late.”
As a professional planner for almost 20 years and a member of the New Zealand Planning Institute (NZPI) Carey is well aware of the irony of being in a race against time.
“Planners don’t have the reputation of being the fastest moving profession but that’s a little unfair. If the planning is done right then any project can proceed smoothly and on time to deliver the desired outcomes, which is the approach I am taking to the ride.”
NZPI CEO Susan Houston says Carey’s story and his efforts are an inspiration to the organisation and its members throughout the country.
“We will support Carey however we possibly can and I expect all of our 2000-plus members to be cheering for Carey during his ride and doing whatever they can to support the cause.”
For more information and to support Carey please visit www.raceagainsttime.co.nz.
For more information on Global Motor Neurone Disease Awareness Day (June 21) please visit www.mnda.org.nz.
New Zealand
Planning Institute (NZPI)
The NZPI is the voice
of planning in New Zealand. It is the professional
organisation representing this country’s planners,
resource managers, urban designers, and environmental
practitioners.Planners have a critical role in shaping New
Zealand’s future by helping to develop solutions to key
issues, such as population growth, infrastructure needs,
pressure on natural resources and environments, demographic
change and transport. For more information visit www.planning.org.nz.
ENDS
News
Hilary Timmins' Award-Winning UK Documentary Series To Inspire NZ Students
29 Jun 2020 Education
Dream Catchers, produced and directed by Hilary Timmins, celebrates the success stories of more than thirty inspirational New... more
New Zealand reaffirms support for Flight MH17 judicial process
7 Mar 2020 News
Ahead of the start of the criminal trial in the Netherlands on 9 March, Foreign Minister Winston Peters has reaffirmed the need to... more
Business
NZ Government's Economic package to fight COVID-19
17 Mar 2020 Business News
The Coalition Government has launched the most significant peace-time economic plan in modern New Zealand history to cushion the... more
NZ Government announces aviation relief package
19 Mar 2020 Business News
Transport Minister Phil Twyford today outlined the first tranche of the $600 million aviation sector relief package announced earlier... more
Living
Diversity was Key at New Zealand Trade Tasting in London
6 Jun 2022 Food & Wine
New Zealand Winegrowers Annual Trade Tasting was recently held in London, on Wednesday 4 May, in Lindley Hall.
It was the first... more
Kiwi author stuns Behind the Butterfly Gate
12 Jan 2022 Arts
Hidden behind the Butterfly Gate is where the secret has been kept for 76 years...
New Zealand writer Merryn Corcoran’s... more
Property
Fairer rules for tenants and landlords
17 Nov 2019 Property
17 NOVEMBER 2019
The Government has delivered on its promise to the over one million New Zealanders who now rent to make it fairer... more
New Zealand Government will not implement a Capital Gains Tax
17 Apr 2019 Property
The Coalition Government will not proceed with the Tax Working Group’s recommendation for a capital gains tax, Jacinda Ardern... more
Migration
Boosting border security with electronic travel authority – now over 500,000 issued
19 Nov 2019 Migration
19 NOVEMBER 2019
We’ve improved border security with the NZeTA, New Zealand Electronic Travel Authority, which helps us to... more
Christchurch reinstated as refugee settlement location
18 Aug 2018 Migration
18 AUGUST 2018
HON IAIN LEES-GALLOWAY
The announcement that Christchurch can once again be a settlement location for refugees... more
Travel
Gallipoli Anzac Day services cancelled
19 Mar 2020 Travel & Tourism
The New Zealand and Australian Governments have announced this year’s joint Anzac Day services at Gallipoli will be cancelled... more
New Zealanders advised not to travel overseas
19 Mar 2020 Travel & Tourism
New Zealanders advised not to travel overseas
more
Sport
The Skipper's Diary: Sir Richard Hadlee honouring his father and NZ's Forty-Niners
27 Oct 2019 Cricket
NZNewsUK London Editor Charlotte Everett spoke to Sir Richard Hadlee about why he’s chosen to publish his father’s... more
PREVIEW: All Blacks v England semi-final
26 Oct 2019 Rugby
The two most convincing quarterfinals winners are set to square off in a semifinal showdown for the ages when the All Blacks meet old... more
Columns
Gordon Campbell on the Gareth Morgan crusade
11 Nov 2016 Opinion
Gordon Campbell on the Gareth Morgan crusade
First published on Werewolf
The ghastly likes of Marine Le Pen in France and Geert ... more
Gordon Campbell on the US election outcome
10 Nov 2016 Opinion
Column - Gordon Campbell
Gordon Campbell on the US election outcome
Well um.. on the bright side, there (probably)... more
Kiwi Success
Congratulations to Loder Cup winner
26 Sep 2018 People
25 SEPTEMBER 2018
The Loder Cup, one of New Zealand’s oldest conservation awards, has been awarded to Robert McGowan for 2018... more
Appointments to New Zealand National Commission for UNESCO
16 Aug 2018 Appointments
16 AUGUST 2018Appointments to New Zealand National Commission for UNESCO
HON JENNY SALESA
Associate Education Minister Jenny Salesa is... more
Recruitment
Historic pay equity settlement for education support workers
14 Aug 2018 Recruitment
14 AUGUST 2018Historic pay equity settlement for education support workers
RT HON JACINDA ARDERN
HON CHRIS HIPKINS
Prime Minister
The... more
Historic pay equity settlement for education support workers
22 Aug 2018 Recruitment
14 AUGUST 2018Historic pay equity settlement for education support workers
RT HON JACINDA ARDERN
HON CHRIS HIPKINS
Prime Minister
The... more