"In 1990, New Zealand primary school children were biking an average of 28 minutes per week. Today it is less than 5 minutes per week - with many children not getting to ride a bike at all."- Bikes in Schools website
Bikes in Schools is a charity set up by Paul McArdle and Meg Frater in Hawke's Bay in 2010. Its aim is to help schools throughout the country get more children on bikes.
After spending time living abroad, the pair became convinced of a link between the number of young cyclists and a country's wealth and health.
So far the programme has helped over 35 schools with a package of bikes, helmets, bike tracks and cycling lessons. This has got over 8,000 school children onto bikes on a regular basis at school.
Funding for the programme comes from a range of sources including school fundraising and organisations including DHBs, the Ministry of Education and local councils.
This Way Up's Simon Morton paid a visit to Holy Cross School in Miramar, one of three schools selected recently for Wellington City Council support to introduce Bikes In Schools.
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