A year ago, Nathan Cooper was moved by hearing the story of an Australian policeman who travelled to Thailand in 2004 as part of a tsunami disaster victim identification team.
Mr Cooper heard stories of the countless Thai children left without parents following the Boxing Day tsunami.
He decided to take part in an epic bike ride that would take him to Thailand and help raise money to build a much-needed orphanage.
In February, Mr Cooper will ride his bike 500 kilometres in five days from Bangkok to Khao Lak, about 60 kilometres north of the island of Phuket, hoping to raise $5000.
“I just felt it was something I could do,” Mr Cooper said.
“If I can ride the distance and create $5000 that goes towards the orphanage, then why shouldn’t I do that?”
Mr Cooper, who lives in Hoppers Crossing and runs the Werribee RACV Shop, said he regularly rode 100 kilometres in a day but had never ridden that sort of distance for five consecutive days.
“I’m actually really looking forward to it,” he said. “You know when you get a desire to do something that may not be conventional, but you are still really inspired to make a difference? That’s how I feel.”
Mr Cooper will do the bike ride with support from Hands Across the Water, an organisation that supports children in Thailand facing a life without their parents.
To make a donation, visit the Werribee RACV Shop at 171A Watton Street.
More details: www.handsacrossthewater.org.au.
