OCBC partners with sporting goods retailer Decathlon and the Singapore Cycling Federation (SCF) for Teach-A-Child-To-Cycle
Singapore, 27 April 2024 - OCBC partnered with sporting goods retailer Decathlon and the Singapore Cycling Federation (SCF) for the return of their corporate social responsibility programme, “Teach-a-Child-to-Cycle”.
Through this programme, 43 less privileged beneficiaries will be taught fundamental cycling skills from trainers in SCF over the course of three training sessions. In addition, Decathlon will be donating a brand-new bicycle for each beneficiary, as well as safety gear worth $100, to equip them for their burgeoning cycling careers.
They will also take part in the OCBC Cycle’s Mighty Savers® Kids and Family Rides on 11 May 2024.
The beneficiaries, aged between 8 to 12 years old, have been carefully selected through partners Care Corner Singapore, SportCares, and Beyond Social Services. These three organisations work to support children from low-income families and, through partnerships with organisations such as OCBC, enable to experience the benefits of sport and adopting an active lifestyle.
Mr Mark Yeo, 59, an OCBC volunteer, said “Cycling, like many other sports, helps the children build their self-confidence and their social skills, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to be part of their journey to learn this important life skill. It is rewarding to see how happy the children are when they start to get the hang of how to cycle, and how proud their parents are of them too. When I see them experience the freedom on two wheels for the first time, it makes all our efforts worthwhile.”
Muhammad Arsyad Zafri bin Abdullah, 11, said “I’m very happy to be able to learn a new skill by being a part of Teach-a-Child-to-Cycle, and excited to take part in the Mighty Savers Kids Rides at OCBC Cycle 2024. This programme has made me more interested in sports, and I hope to continue cycling after the event!”
Alinged with what OCBC Cycle is about, the Teach-a-Child-to-Cycle programme recognises the importance of cycling as a life skill. Teaching these children how to cycle instills confidence, resilience and a sense of accomplishment in these young individuals.
The provision of a new bicycle also signifies a positive change, enabling these children to overcome transportation limitations.
More than 7,000 cyclists are expected to take part at OCBC Cycle 2024 across 10 categories on 11 and 12 May. The Mighty Savers® Kids and Family Rides will take place on 11 May, where young cyclists between 2 and 12 years old can experience the joys of cycling with other young cyclists or their family members along Stadium Drive, with the Singapore Sports Hub serving as a backdrop.
Categories such as The Sportive Ride (40km), The Foldie Ride by Brompton (40km) and Mighty Savers® Kids and Family Rides for 5 to 12 years old are sold out this year, ahead of the close of registrations.
The OCBC Speedway Championships will see the much-anticipated return of the Speedway SEA Championship, where teams from Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, Philippines, Laos, Myanmar, Cambodia, and Indonesia expected to compete against Singapore for bragging rights for the first time since 2019.
OCBC Cycle’s mass rides – The Sportive Ride (40km) and The Straits Times Ride (20km) – will take place on 12 May, alongside the new Foldie Ride by Brompton. Participants can look forward to scenic routes with roads specially closed for the event, taking them past national landmarks and iconic features like the Benjamin Sheares Bridge, Singapore Flyer, and Gardens by the Bay, before finishing inside the National Stadium at the Singapore Sports Hub.
Participants can register online for the upcoming marquee cycling event at www.ocbccycle.com. In addition, members of the public may find out more information about the traffic advisories for the event weekend at https://ocbccycle.com/traffic-advisory-brochure/.