Media Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
ADDITIONAL CONTENT AVAILABLE
Friday, October 8, 2010
Around the Bay on a tandem bamboo bicycle
As thousands gear up to tackle the Around the Bay in a Day bike ride on Sunday, October 17, one
Melbourne couple will take the challenge to another level - on a tandem bicycle made from Zambian
bamboo.
Tim Budge, Country Director for Plan International in Zambia, will be joined by his wife Meredith on the
bamboo bicycle. Accompanied by other members of Team Plan Zambia, they plan to ride 210km in an
attempt to raise $10,000 for rural communities in the developing African nation.
The Budges, who are avid bike riders, moved to Zambia in 2009 and are returning to Melbourne for their
annual leave. They have been training rigorously for their tandem challenge, waking at 5:30am three times
a week to complete a 30km circuit and then facing longer rides of 100-150km on the weekends.
The tandem bamboo bike has been built specially for the event by a small Zambian business called
Zambikes. The business was founded in 2007 to provide affordable, sturdy bicycles built for the rugged
Zambian environment as a solution to the serious transport issues that affect many people. Many
Zambians can walk up to three hours each way for work – riding a bicycle reduces that time to 40 minutes.
Money raised by the Plan Zambia team, will be used to buy bicycles and a unique medical trailer called a
Zambulance from Zambikes that will help Plan’s work with rural Zambian communities.
Mr Budge has seen first-hand the impact of Zambikes’ bicycles and Zambulances on communities. “The
Zambulance is particularly important for emergency transport for the ill, wounded or expectant mothers,”
said Mr Budge.
“Traditional birth attendants and motherhood groups are now able to reach more expectant mothers, and
reports from many provinces show that Zambulances are being used to transport more mothers to health
facilities for safer deliveries,” he said.
ENDS
Around the Bay in a Day will take place on Sunday, October 17. To support Plan Zambia’s fundraising to
buy more bicycles and Zambulances, and to follow the Budges’ training blog, go to:
For more information and interviews with Tim and Meredith Budge, please contact:
Sinead Blessing
Communications Co-ordinator
Plan International Australia
Ph: 03 9672 3678
Mobile: 0450 081 659
Email: Sinead.blessing@plan.org.au
Background information:
Tim and Meredith
Tim has been working in international development since the early 1990s. He worked with Plan Australia in
2005, prior to a posting in East Timor as Plan’s Country Director. He worked in East Timor for three and a
half years and moved to Zambia to be Plan’s Country Director in July 2009.
Tim’s wife Meredith also works in international development. She is a former occupational therapist,
community development worker and political advisor, who now focuses on women’s development and
maternal and child health issues.
Both Tim and Meredith are avid bicycle riders. When they lived in Melbourne, they were active cycling
commuters and regular weekend riders. They love Melbourne’s network of bike paths, particularly the Yarra
and Capital Trails. They have completed two Around the Bay in a Day rides.
Zambikes
Zambikes was founded in 2007 as a response to the serious transport issues that affect many Zambians.
Zambikes recognised that affordable bicycles that were custom-built for the rugged Zambian environment
were needed. Since 2007 Zambikes has sold hundreds of bicycles to organisations and individuals with a
huge impact on life and work. Some positive effects include:
A person that used to walk three hours to work can now make the journey in just 40 minutes.
A nurse or social worker can visit an average of 10 patients per day.
A person can carry more than double the weight on the bike’s rear rack than in their arms. For a
transport entrepreneur that means double the income.
Plan International
Plan is one of the oldest and largest children’s development organisations in the world that works to
empower communities to overcome poverty. By actively involving children, and working at the grassroots
with no religious or political agenda, Plan unites and inspires people around the globe to transform the
world for children. Plan works in more than 49 countries.
NEWS 
