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Neil Herbert

2025 -Ride for the Chopper

I'm fundraising for...

NSW Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service which changes outcomes in the community every day.

I am participating in the Ride for the Chopper to support the important lifesaving work of the Rescue Helicopter Service on call to our community 24/7, 365 days a year.

Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service is a flying intensive care unit.  The AW139 Helicopter has a Pilot with a minimum of 15 years flying experience; a Crewman, a SCAT trained Paramedic and a Doctor.  

Surgeries can be performed from the helicopter as well as blood transfusions.  It has the capacity to carry 2 patients or 2 Neonatal Cots. Not only does the Rescue Helicopter attend accidents it also transfers critical patients to larger hospitals for specialist treatment plus conducts Search and Rescue missions. 

The AW139s cost $1,000 per hour in fuel, $1,000 per hour to run the engine, $1,500 for the airframe and $500 for avionics, that’s a total of $4,000 per hour.

It costs about $40 million a year to keep the helicopters and crews ready to respond when needed.

Please give generously and share my page with your friends, family and colleagues. Thank you for supporting Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service.  

Please Help Me
Reach My Goal

Raised

$2,215

My Goal

$2,000

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My Achievements

Donate to Self

Shared Fundraising Page

First Donation

First Blog or Log

Reached Fundraising Target

$100 - Helipad Hero

$250 - Lift Off Legend

$500 - Blue Sky Dreamer

$1,000 - Airborne Angel

$2,500 - High Flyer

My Updates

I'm making progress!

Sunday 27th Jul
Training ... training ... training ... I'm lengthening my rides each time and my last training ride on Friday, from my home in Shellharbour to Woonona north of Wollongong,  was my longest yet (72km). It took me a little over 3 hours (average of 22kph) and I had a bit left in the tank. 

I'm growing in confidence with every training ride that I'll be able to keep up with the pack in September when the ride kicks off from Mudgee in September.

I'm hugely grateful to the friends, family, and even complete strangers who have given to my donations page.  Thank you, thank you, thank you!!! I've increased my donations target and am very hopeful that people will continue to tip money into what is a very worthwhile cause.


Training is HARD!!!

Sunday 29th Jun
When my mate, John Leard, encouraged me to get on board and sign up to Ride For The Chopper I had no idea what I was getting myself in for. I figured that on an e-bike it would be a doddle (well, maybe not a doddle, but relatively easy).

Leardy told me tall tales about people in their 80s who just jump on an old steel-framed fixy and manage each day with ease (apparently this happens ... well, that's what Leardy reckons, and who am I to question???)

I am not a cyclist and, although I am reasonably fit, I haven't done any long rides since I was in my teens (a long ride for me in my teens was defined as anything greater than the distance from my house to my girlfriend's place).

So I have started my training. I need to do some serious kms between now and September. I've done some 40km rides now and tried to mix in a few hill climbs. Bl**dy hell! I have even managed one ride of more than 50km (mostly on the flat) and have come to the realization that this Ride For The Chopper might be a little harder than what Leardy described!

I have developed a great respect for those 80-year-old cyclists that Leardy told me about.

Turns out training is HARD!!! 

If you are reading this, please encourage me by throwing a few dollars at my donations page. It's for a very good cause!!!

Ride on!

Thank you to my Sponsors

$250

Shane & Kelly Casey

Well done Dad! Enjoy the ride x

$200

Stephen Vile

$106.12

David Cleary

Sounds like you will have a sore arse at the end of the enjoy

$106.12

Maggie

$106.12

Brian Love

Good luck Neil! A really good cause.

$106.12

Rhonda Margetson

Good luck to you Neil, have a great ride for a great cause.

$106.12

Bev Tener

Good on you Neil, will be thinking of you doing all those hours & kilometres of training

$80.25

David Feather

Hope you enjoy the ride and it is no too painful on lower parts

$54.12

Julie Mciver

$54.12

Kim Mcardle

Best wishes Neil for a safe and successful ride.

$54.12

Lynise

Best of luck on your ride! No stacks!!!!

$54.12

Neale E

Good luck with the ride. Also good training for the dragon boat too😉

$54.12

Lorelle Harvey

Will be fabulous to see you achieve this ride x x good luck

$54.12

Alyce Herbert

$54.12

Julie Jenkins

Good luck Neil.

$54.12

Billie T

Good luck Neil, and have a great time.

$54.12

Greg Oliver

$54.12

Margaret Lubrano

Good luck Neil

$54.12

Anthony And Sharon Ellis

Great to hear you're doing this for such a worthy cause. Go hard now!

$54.12

Carole

$54.12

Leia Sakaria

Whatever you do beat Leardy 😄

$50

Paul And Marie Zammit

$50

Melissa Arnold

Use the shoes but watch the cleats.

$43

Neil Herbert

$33.15

Sue Davies

Go Neil!

$27.81

Barbara Phelan

Super proud of you Mr President

$27.81

Ryan Brown

$27.81

Ross Coleman

Happy riding mate. Hope the weather is kind. What an adventure!

$27.81

Jannine To'o

Go get em Neil

$27.81

Kerry Emmett

Good luck!

$27.81

Peter Knott

Have a good ride Neil

$25

Madeleine Jaques

$22.58

Libby Daniel

Good luck.

$20

Old Liz Gough

Good luck Neil.

$20

Allan Quigley

Good luck Neil

$20

Pro Tech Auto Repairs

Good luck from the crew at ProTech Auto Repairs!