Carlo Lumapas, Gerald Allen, Nicky McDermott, Reon Onekawa, Chris Carrothers, Chance Kemp, Karlie Takuira. Photo: RNZ / Luka Forman
A Rotorua retirement community is spreading early Christmas cheer by doing up old and broken bicycles so they look as good as new for delighted school children.
Arvida Glenbrae residents say the project has taken on a life of its own, and they have now given out dozens of bikes to kids and local charities.
The retirees say they enjoy drawing on their decades worth of DIY knowledge, and seeing happy youngsters zoom off on their new wheels.
Reon Onekawa, Chance Kemp and Karlie Takuira from Mokoia Intermediate were the first to get bikes.
"It looks cool and I'm excited to ride on them," Reon said.
"I love them," Chance said.
For Reon Onekawa, the new bike came at the perfect time.
Reon Onekawa, Chance Kemp and Karlie Takuira on their new bikes. Photo: RNZ / Luka Forman
"I was freaking out, because I don't have a bike. I was riding one day and then I fell over and the bike was on the road and someone ran it over."
The retirement home has given about 20 bikes to Mokoia intermediate.
Resident Gerald Allen has been helping clean the bikes and fitting them with new tyres and parts.
He enjoyed the process - but said the bikes were much more complicated to fix up then they used to be back in his day.
"The old bikes you could tie them together with a piece of number 8 wire, but you couldn't do these ones that way," Allen said.
Gerald Allen. Photo: RNZ / Luka Forman
Chris Carrothers has also been helping out - he said seeing the kids faces when they were given the bikes was priceless.
"That was the fabulous bit. It was really neat. And the kids really like it. It's fired us into doing more."
Carlo Lumapas is the assistant wellness partner at Glenbrae, but he is also pretty handy at fixing bikes, so he has been leading the project.
It started small, he said, but before long they had upcycled more bikes than they knew what to do with.
"Started just like a project, now it became a mission, eh? Giving bikes to those kids that unfortunately they don't have one. Seeing them riding their bike - it's beyond words."
Chris Carrothers fixing a bike. Photo: RNZ / Luka Forman
Village manager Maria Jay said with Christmas coming up, it felt like a good time to spread some cheer.
"Knowing how challenging it's been for a lot of families out there, it seemed like a really good time of year to just give free bikes away that have been made with lots of love ... we were hoping there'd be some children out there that would enjoy that."
The village have also given some bikes to Women's Refuge and the Salvation Army.
Jay said there were another 20 bikes in need of repair which the residents would get stuck into at the start of the new year.
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