Bicycle Network Victoria: Great Escapade New Zealand

Ralph Hughes is regular volunteer with Bicycle New South Wales and the Big Rides. He has been a member of the Eco Team since 2001 and a team leader of that same team since 2003. At 67, he is retired but still gets involved with a small handyman business that keeps him occupied.

Ralph is an enthusiastic rider, along with his wife who heard about volunteering through the confirmation letter his wife received stating the need for more volunteers. The decision to volunteer was based on wanting to take part in the ride with his wife. Due to an operation he may not have had the endurance to ride, and didn’t want to risk having to go home mid-way so he thought volunteering would be the better way for him to get involved.

Each year, Ralph continues to sign up because he enjoys meeting new people, making new friends and being a part of the Ride. He says that "the Eco job can be hard, sometimes we work from 6.00am to 10.00pm with a break during the day, but there is great job satisfaction in what we do. We always aim to leave the grounds in better condition then what it was originally in." He also enjoys being put in the leadership role and working with the other hard working Eco Team members. He keeps in contact with volunteers he has met throughout, especially his team members, who he contacts pre-ride to ensure that they have signed up and have to a yarn. It is difficult to meet up as the vollie’s he keeps in contact with do not live nearby.

Ralph says he enjoys receiving compliments regarding the job which assists in generating an overall positive Volunteer experience. He has enjoyed every ride and only a wash out a couple of rides ago dampened his spirits. He will definitely be back again for the 2008 Great Escapade.