Christchurch resident cycles for freedom

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Christchurch horticulturalist Richard Brown is using his freedom to cycle around South America to help raise funds and awareness for Amnesty International in the organisations 50th birthday year.

At the end of August he will start the well-over 10,000 km cycling tour which begins in Santiago, Chile, then over the Andes to Argentina, and from there North-West finishing in Caracas, Venezuela.

Brown’s initial idea was to travel back to his native Britain with as little air travel as possible. This developed into the cycle trip through South America.

He hopes to eventually make it to Britain but says the trip is not a race and admits it may take years.

“The actual distance will be way higher, maybe a third more but possibly even double, as all the turns in the road are not counted, and the many detours.”

Brown is paying for the entire trip out of his own pocket but wants the public to donate money to Amnesty International as he wants to help others who do not get these same basic freedoms.

“Cycle touring is the most amazing way I have found to experience freedom. While I enjoy mine, I hope to raise awareness and help some people who don't.”

He also wants to raise awareness about local environmental issues he comes across on his journey.

On August 5th he will be out and about collecting for Amnesty International’s annual Freedom Week appeal. 

Amnesty International Aotearoa New Zealand’s Activism Support Manager Margaret Taylor is thrilled at Brown adding his pedal power to the human rights struggle. 

“Fifty years ago, Amnesty was started by one man calling on others to join him in standing up against injustice. Every individual act makes a difference, and Amnesty’s strength is in drawing together those individual actions towards a common goal.

“By joining with us – whether that be collecting on the street, signing a petition, becoming a member, or cycling across South America –  ordinary New Zealanders are contributing towards extraordinary global human rights achievements,” adds Taylor.

The organisation has now grown to be a movement of over 3 million supporters, members and activists working at the forefront of human rights issues in more than 150 countries and territories across the globe. Amnesty’s purpose is to protect people when their human rights are denied, calling for an end to the discrimination, persecution and harassment that individuals face.

For more information on Freedom Week visit www.freedomweek.org.nz. To learn more about the trip follow Brown’s blog www.rubberandchains.blogspot.com or his Fundraising Online page www.fundraiseonline.co.nz/rubberandchains.