A gutsy group of grey-haired men called Grandad’s Army will soon set off on a 1200km cycle ride in memory of fellow rider Rob Burton, who was killed while cycling in 2013.
The eight men, the oldest of whom is 75 and whose professions range from paediatric surgeon to accountant and traffic engineer, hope their epic four-day ride will raise money to build an ultra-modern, 12-bed, serious burns unit for children at Frere Hospital.
The target is R7 to R10-million.
At present the outdated burns unit at Frere consists of just three cots with no play area and a cold bathroom where the little patients’ dressings are changed.
The cycling grandads aim to raise R600000 for urgently needed skin graft instruments called dermatomes. “When the blades of our current instruments wear out we have to use a hand-held knife and only a few of us older surgeons know how to use that,” said Frere paediatric surgeon and grandpa of three Dr Colin Lazarus, 72, who is the “lance corporal” of the cyclists.
The energetic “army”, which will be joined by back-up rider Alison Langtree, will set off from the city on November 24 and will cycle in relay fashion to Stellenbosch via the safest route they could map.
Grandad’s Army member Richard Bind, 67, said the men almost gave up cycling after their friend and fellow “grandad” Rob Burton, 60, was killed on a training ride on the N6 when a a truck ploughed into him two years ago.
“But then we thought there is probably more of a chance we will die of a heart attack than be hit by a car, so we carried on. It is why we chose our route for the memorial ride to Stellenbosch for safe cycling,” added Rodney Offord, 58.
Lazarus said the group would take the longer but safer “back-road” trans-Karoo route to Stellenbosch, where, after a day’s rest they will join the 95km Stellenbosch Cycle Tour. “I don’t know how our legs will be, but I know our butts will be sore,” he quipped.
The men – who train together every Saturday and Sunday and socialise over drinks at their favourite Nahoon watering hole on Saturday evenings, will cycle in teams of threes and twos to complete 300km a day.
At 75 Arthur Salzwedel, who is a grandfather of 16 and a great-grandfather of five, is also the most experienced cyclist of the team, having represented South Africa internationally three times – twice in Australia and once in Portugal.
“Cycling has been good to me from a health point of view and keeps me out of mischief.”
The men may call themselves grandads, but there is nothing long in the tooth about their social media strategy to publicise their mammoth ride to raise funds for the Eyabantwana Children Trust, which supports the work of the Eastern Cape Paediatric Surgical Service.
They are using Facebook (The Rob Burton Memorial Ride), Instagram and Twitter in the hope that supporters will follow their progress and make donations towards the burns unit.
Speaking at the media launch of the ride, Frere CEO Dr Rolene Wagner said the Grandad’s Army cyclists had her support.
“I think what you are undertaking is remarkable – especially at your age,” she said. “If we can raise enough money for the burns unit we will not only provide excellent care, but will also be a training and research centre for the province.”
Grandads in epic ride for children
The eight men, the oldest of whom is 75 and whose professions range from paediatric surgeon to accountant and traffic engineer, hope their epic four-day ride will raise money to build an ultra-modern, 12-bed, serious burns unit for children at Frere Hospital.
The target is R7 to R10-million.
At present the outdated burns unit at Frere consists of just three cots with no play area and a cold bathroom where the little patients’ dressings are changed.
The cycling grandads aim to raise R600000 for urgently needed skin graft instruments called dermatomes. “When the blades of our current instruments wear out we have to use a hand-held knife and only a few of us older surgeons know how to use that,” said Frere paediatric surgeon and grandpa of three Dr Colin Lazarus, 72, who is the “lance corporal” of the cyclists.
The energetic “army”, which will be joined by back-up rider Alison Langtree, will set off from the city on November 24 and will cycle in relay fashion to Stellenbosch via the safest route they could map.
Grandad’s Army member Richard Bind, 67, said the men almost gave up cycling after their friend and fellow “grandad” Rob Burton, 60, was killed on a training ride on the N6 when a a truck ploughed into him two years ago.
“But then we thought there is probably more of a chance we will die of a heart attack than be hit by a car, so we carried on. It is why we chose our route for the memorial ride to Stellenbosch for safe cycling,” added Rodney Offord, 58.
Lazarus said the group would take the longer but safer “back-road” trans-Karoo route to Stellenbosch, where, after a day’s rest they will join the 95km Stellenbosch Cycle Tour. “I don’t know how our legs will be, but I know our butts will be sore,” he quipped.
The men – who train together every Saturday and Sunday and socialise over drinks at their favourite Nahoon watering hole on Saturday evenings, will cycle in teams of threes and twos to complete 300km a day.
At 75 Arthur Salzwedel, who is a grandfather of 16 and a great-grandfather of five, is also the most experienced cyclist of the team, having represented South Africa internationally three times – twice in Australia and once in Portugal.
“Cycling has been good to me from a health point of view and keeps me out of mischief.”
The men may call themselves grandads, but there is nothing long in the tooth about their social media strategy to publicise their mammoth ride to raise funds for the Eyabantwana Children Trust, which supports the work of the Eastern Cape Paediatric Surgical Service.
They are using Facebook (The Rob Burton Memorial Ride), Instagram and Twitter in the hope that supporters will follow their progress and make donations towards the burns unit.
Speaking at the media launch of the ride, Frere CEO Dr Rolene Wagner said the Grandad’s Army cyclists had her support.
“I think what you are undertaking is remarkable – especially at your age,” she said. “If we can raise enough money for the burns unit we will not only provide excellent care, but will also be a training and research centre for the province.”
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