Bolt Together To Banish Child Abuse

By Sarah Healey on June 2, 2015 in News

As Australian of the Year 2015, Victorian mother Rosie Batty poignantly stated in her acceptance speech, “No matter where you live, family violence exists in every pocket of our neighbourhood. It does not discriminate and it is across all sections of our society.” Recent statistics reveal one child dies every two weeks in Australia as a direct result of assault. This silent scourge occurring behind closed doors needs as much exposure as possible to change community attitudes concerning domestic violence towards children.

Barnardos Australia has dedicated itself for over 130 years to protecting and caring for defenceless children. They work with families and communities facing various issues such as poverty, violence, substance abuse, homelessness and mental illness. Their goal is to eradicate child abuse and to provide a safe environment for young people to thrive.

If you want to save a child’s life, then get amongst the first-ever Barnardos Beach Bolt, taking place on Sunday, June 14 at 9am on Coogee Beach. The one-mile race begins at Grant Reserve, and you’ll test your endurance levels on the soft sand, power up to Dunningham Reserve, brace yourself for the uphill stairs (which will surely spike those lactate levels in the calves!), then bolt to the finish line. “Barnardos chose Coogee because it has a great family and community feel. It also provides the most incredible backdrop for a race of this type and will showcase the beach in all its beauty during winter,” Barnardos spokesperson Tianji Dickens said.

The Beach Bolt is designed to cater for all ages and fitness levels, with the itinerary broken down into: the Elite Race, the 000 Race (collaborating our Emergency Services to fight for the title), the General Race (a walk or run for anyone above the age of 10), and the Mini Bolt (a 50-metre sprint on the sand for kids under 10). A bit of extra training will never go astray, so jump on their website for a basic training schedule.

As lifestyle and fitness regimes dominate most of our lives in the east, the Beach Bolt is the perfect excuse to lace up your runners and join in the cause. “So much training is required for longer races and with people’s time being so limited these days due to work and family life, a mile race is the best way to go. I mean, why run a marathon when you can run a mile and still get involved in something so meaningful and rewarding?” Ms Dickens said.

Get down there early for a barbecue breakfast, a massage or even to get your face painted. There’ll be loads of prizes up for grabs, and an after-race celebration will be held at the Coogee Bay Hotel. Runners are encouraged to be sponsored by friends and family to raise funds for Barnardos’ vital programs. The only way to enter is online. The cost is $20 for children and $40 for adults. Visit www.beachbolt.com.au for all the details.