Bowel Cancer: Not An 'Old Person's Disease'
Tim Bainbridge - beloved husband, father, friend - passed away at just 41, with Bowel Cancer - 17.07.23
June 7th, 2025
Ride to Give: Building safer, stronger futures for regional youth
Sometimes unexpected conversations can lead to the most life-changing outcomes. That was certainly the case in 2013 when a casual lunch between FDC Director Cornelius (Con) Hart and client, Andrew Price sparked something special.
Andrew had been seeking advice on how the law firm he was working with at the time, Wotton Kearney, a long-time FDC client, could pitch in with a “working bee” to help one of their charities, Royal Far West. After visiting the charity’s ageing Manly site, it became clear that while the intention was good, the building needs far exceeded what Andrew’s team could physically deliver.
Con offered another idea: raise funds instead—and let FDC assemble the team to design, coordinate, and carry out the necessary works. A few glasses of wine later, they landed on the concept of a long-distance charity bike ride through regional NSW. By the end of lunch, Ride to Give was born.
In early 2014, with just 24 riders made up of lawyers, builders and mates, the first ride raised more than $100,000. That figure was later doubled through pro bono and discounted work—transforming Royal Far West’s facilities for rural families supporting sick children in the city. What was meant to be a one-off became a movement.
Now, more than a decade later, Ride to Give has raised more than $4.1 million, supported countless causes, and—most importantly—made a meaningful difference.
This year, 62 cyclists covered 500km through regional New South Wales—from Dubbo to Leeton via Forbes, Yeoval, Grenfell, and Temora. The ride has raised a record $561,436 to support two remarkable grassroots charities.
BackTrack Youth Works supports young people doing it tough in regional Australia—those who’ve fallen through the cracks of school, home, or the justice system, by providing holistic youth work, education, accommodation, training, employment and support to help them get their lives back on track.
Boys to the Bush (BTTB) provides at-risk, regionally located young men with positive role models and mentors so they can develop a sense of purpose and build self-respect, mateship, resilience and community.
A ride with purpose
“Growing up I’d always been an outburst sort of kid. A little thing would just set me off and then after a while I started bottling everything up and keeping everything inside of me. I just snapped one day. I felt like no one wanted me,” said Zac, aged 17, in the 2018 documentary Backtrack Boys.
The film followed the lives of a group of troubled boys, on a perilous course towards jail until meeting Aussie hero, Bernie Shakeshaft, who started BackTrack in 2006. Bernie saw youths in regional Armidale facing challenges that made it difficult to connect with their community. With a shed, a passionate crew of volunteers, a pack of working dogs and a mission to keep kids alive, out of jail and empowered to create positive futures for themselves, the BackTrack dream was born.
Zac started with Backtrack in 2012. Fast forward to today and he's built his skills in the Core Program, worked in the social enterprise, BackTrack Works, and learnt the ropes of BackTrack-style youth work. He's shown up for his community and become a mentor for kids in need of a role model who understands what they’re going through.
For Jarviah, who found support through the BTTB Mentoring Program, the charity has been a lifesaver. At just nine years old, his life was already spiralling—he was angry, aggressive, and struggling at home. With no father figure and a mother at breaking point, he was withdrawing from his culture, his community, and himself.
Then BTTB stepped in. Jarviah was paired with mentor, Clint, a steady, kind male role model who’s helped him build confidence, respect, and purpose. In just weeks, Jarviah went from lashing out to lending a hand, learning how to be proud of who he is and where he comes from. Today, he’s helping at home, treating his mum and sister with more care, and is proudly embracing his Aboriginal heritage for the first time.
Support where it's needed most
Zac and Jarviah’s stories are just two of hundreds that remind us why FDC’s annual Ride to Give charity bike ride is so important. It’s not just for the kilometres clocked, but for real lives changed.
As FDC celebrates its 35th anniversary this year, Ride to Give took on an even greater meaning through each charity's transformative programs.
The cycling campaign raised funds which paid for a building in Forbes in 2024—a lasting legacy for the BTTB team, the local youth, and the many programs run from this facility. In addition, funds paid for a fishing boat and two mini buses for the kids and their mentors, providing more scope for positive intervention and extending the capacity of the group.
In 2023, Ride to Give raised $267,000 towards renovating a farmhouse in Armidale and installing two Cubbah Cubbah cabins for BackTrack. The cabins are now well-established, providing short-term accommodation for kids in need. However, the farmhouse was virtually uninhabitable. The 2023 funding has helped establish extensive decking, shared amenities and a permanent caravan and awning to house the farm caretakers. The renovation has provided employment for seven young people as trainees.
FDC will now continue supporting BackTrack with funding from this year’s ride delivering 35 months of safe farm accommodation through the FDC Safe Place to Stay Fund. This includes full-time youth workers, food, clothing, household costs, and support that doesn’t clock off at 5pm. It’s a lifeline for kids in crisis, offering not just shelter, but dignity. It will also help fund BackTrack’s teacher in Armidale, who takes curriculum-aligned education to wherever the kids are, whether that’s the farm, the shed, or the campfire; flexible support that helps young people like Zac reconnect with learning, build job skills, and rediscover self-worth.
For Boys to the Bush, the FDC MENtoring fund will support 35 boys in participating in the program for a full year. This includes one-on-one support, school engagement, community connection, and essential life skills. Additionally, it offers TAFE and accreditation courses, along with the necessary tools and equipment to help young men enter the workforce.
Building futures
Since that first conversation in Manly, Ride to Give has become a cornerstone of FDC’s Giving Program, which has raised more than $14 million in total for causes including mental health, education, youth mentorship and medical research.
“We choose charities that are personal to our people and communities, ensuring that our efforts are meaningful and impactful,” says FDC Managing Director Russell Grady, who once again took part in the ride this year.
“Their work is helping to create lasting change, empowering youth, and providing them with new opportunities and purpose. Everyone deserves a chance to belong, a safe place to stay, and someone who never gives up on them.”
Celebrating 35 Years + Counting.
Related Articles
