RIDING 1000 kilometres on a bike from Adelaide to Melbourne to address a burning issue is no mean feat.
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The eight riders completing the Julian Burton Burns Trust Cycle Challenge had a stopover in Warrnambool yesterday and will ride to Lorne today.
Spokesman and cyclist Ken Ross said the cyclists and their support team were aiming to raise awareness of the incidence and impact of burns injury along the week-long tour.
The Julian Burton Burns Trust was founded in 2003 by victim Julian Burton, who suffered life-threatening injuries from the 2002 Bali bombings.
After researching burns injury care across Australia, Mr Burton discovered that burns are one of the top three injuries suffered by Australians every year but Australia did not have a national burns care community organisation in existence.
Mr Ross said the group was officially farewelled by Adelaide Lord Mayor Stephen Yarwood.
“We started in Adelaide last Friday with an aim of raising funds and awareness of Julian Burton Burns Trust,” Mr Ross said.
“We are just a group of mates who ride regularly in Adelaide.”
Mr Ross and his brother Nathan are a part of the cycling crew and their dad Mick is one half of the support crew.
The Ross family personally know Mr Burton and so far they have raised more than $5500.
Trust general manager Deb Bates said riding 1000 kilometres in seven days is a great challenge for the cyclists, but it is nothing compared to the physical and mental trauma burns survivors go through.
“Hopefully with a bit of pedal power we can spread the safety message and continue to help reduce burns injury,” she said.
“Burns injury is one of the top three causes of accidental death in children under five years of age and one of the three most common causes of injury suffered by Australians each year.”