Riding for our veterans
BY FAY FOSTER
There are many ways to celebrate a 70th birthday. For most of us, the celebration involves family, friends, cake and a meal or party.
Not so for retired Salvation Army officer Colonel Kelvin Alley, who marked his 70th birthday in September on day 17 of a 20-day Adelaide to Gold Coast Solo Cycle Classic, raising money for the charity Wandering Warriors.
Wandering Warriors is a not-for-profit ex-service organisation and registered charity that supports veterans of Australia’s Special Operations Command and their families transitioning from military to civilian life. The organisation provides support through education, employment, mentoring, and respite programs in partnership with a network of higher-education institutions, corporate sponsors, and private donors. As time and resources allow, assistance is also extended to the wider veteran community.
Kelvin’s interest in supporting Wandering Warriors is an extension of his ongoing relationship with the Australian Armed Forces. Since 2006, he has been part of the ‘Pollie Pedal’, an annual bike ride of 1000km over eight days, that started as a means of getting politicians out and doing something active to benefit the community. For the five years to 2022, the Pollie Pedal supported the charity Soldier On, which supports veterans and their families. This changed in 2023 to support Wandering Warriors.
Since their retirement in 2020, Kelvin and his wife Julie have taken on the role of chaplains to the Runaway Bay RSL Sub-Branch on the Gold Coast. Their son is a triple veteran of the Australian Defence Force service in Afghanistan.
Sixty memorials
During this year’s ride – his third solo trip to raise money for defence force-related organisations – Kelvin crossed the Mallee, the Hay Plains, the Liverpool Plains and the high country over the top of the Great Divide, conquering Cunningham’s Gap along the way. He called by more than 60 military memorials, some very remote and unique, including the silo art at Walpeup, created as a tribute to the Australian Light Horse.
Kelvin says the ride’s highlights were the beautiful scenery with long stretches of open road, the numerous tiny towns steeped in history, and the careful, considerate behaviour of drivers who gave the bike a wide berth when overtaking.
“What started as an idea to celebrate my 70th birthday became so much more.”
Kelvin had to plan each day’s ride, considering the types of roads he’d be riding on and the distance between towns. He tried to limit each day’s ride to 130 kilometres, but there were a few days of more than 150 kilometres. The bike also carried 25 kilograms of clothing, equipment, medical supplies, power packs for the lights and GPS, and snacks.
Deep appreciation
On the final day of the trip, Kelvin was joined at 5am by Quentin Mason, CEO of Wandering Warriors, who kept him company for the last (110 km) leg of the ride, terminating at the Soldiers Memorial at Upper Coomera. A welcoming party, including State Member Mark Boothman and the head office team of Wandering Warriors, showed their appreciation for Kelvin’s achievement and gratitude for the funds raised.
At the end of his epic ride, which raised $10,555 for Wandering Warriors, Kelvin said, “I am grateful to the 110 people who sponsored, and to those who still have the intention to support a most worthy cause … The great ride is over – apart from a broken spoke, which I nursed for 2300km … with 13,000m of climbing, and 60 memorials visited, there wasn’t so much as a flat tyre!
“What started as an idea to celebrate my 70th birthday became so much more – an amazing adventure – a journey through history – a deepened love of my country, its people, my faith and some well-deserved attention and support for Wandering Warriors who support veterans and families of our Special Forces!”
