The Easter bunny will don its leathers next month for an annual motorcycle ride through the city.
Sponsored by New Zealand Transport Agency, WestLink Bay of Plenty and Downer, the 26th Tauranga Ulysses Club Charity Easter Egg and Toy Run returns on April 3, with people encouraged to donate gifts to the children at Tauranga Hospital.
Tauranga Ulysses Club president Marius Swanepoel says people can purchase a special Toy Run badge as well as educational toys, Easter eggs, puzzles, or children's games from Papamoa Plaza for the riders to donate to children in the hospital.
'The money that we gather from the badges that we sell goes to TrustPower TECT Rescue Helicopter and St John Ambulance.”
Departing from Papamoa Plaza at 11am on Easter Sunday, riders will continue up Papamoa Beach Rd onto Oceanbeach Rd, down Golf Rd, Hewletts Rd and onto the expressway en-route to Tauranga Hospital. 'In the past people were able to come and see the motorbikes when we went to Maungatapu underneath the bridges, but now we don't go that way anymore,” says Marius.
'This year people can see the motorbikes on the expressway over bridges and along the side of the road.
'If it's a good day we're expecting about 300 riders. We got such a good response from last year.”
Marius will be one of the expected 300 riders taking part in the event and says the nicest thing about the experience is the spectators.
'Hopefully, this year we'll get more people being aware of the ride and what route we're going to take because that's what it's all about. We're riding with a lot of motorbikes, but it's also the people who come and look at the motorbikes.”
'When you're at Papamoa Plaza all the people come and talk to you and the kids want to get on the motorbikes. We don't mind if children want to climb and sit on the bikes. It's basically for the public.”
The Toy Run coincides with the free Trustpower TECT Rescue Open Day at the Ian Pain Memorial Hangar at Tauranga Hospital.
People will be able to get up close and personal with the Trustpower TECT Rescue Helicopter and crew.
Rescue demonstrations by the rescue helicopter team and Tauranga emergency services, competitions, refreshments, entertainment and the opportunity to win a helicopter flight ensure an action-packed day for the family.
Rescue helicopter pilot Liam Brettkelly says there'll be face painting and possibly a Police dog display and truck rides, as well as the annual sausage sizzle.
St John Ambulance, Surf Lifesaving NZ and Coastguard crews will be there too. 'There's plenty of people to talk to,” says Liam.
The open day on April 3 from 10am-2pm.