Arduous cycle promotes fatherly bond

A man has cycled 1000km along the Munda Biddi Trail to raise awareness for The Fathering Project, aimed at encouraging fathers and father figures to positively engage with the children in their lives.

Anton Beets is a mentor with the project, a volunteer for the Munda Biddi Trail Foundation and a father. He said he had combined all of his passions into one for the trip.

“I love cycling and I love the message The Fathering Project supports, especially as a father myself,” he said. “The Fathering Project promotes the importance of fathers playing a significant role in their children’s lives and being positive role models for them to look up to, as opposed to the old-fashioned way of parenting.”

Mr Beets said the aim of his trip was to raise awareness and some money for the project.

“I have a fundraising page online which was put out to my local community in Perth, friends, family and other Munda Biddi cyclists,” he said. “However, the main aim of this trip is to raise awareness and get the message out to a wider range of people.”

He said overall the trip took a total of 14 days, from the Perth hills all the way through to Albany.

“I passed through many South West towns along the way, including Northcliffe and Walpole,” Mr Beets said.

“It was a very spiritual trip, the sense of community was amazing in all the towns I stopped in.”