Matt Brammeier might be in the middle of a very heavy winter training block but he's urging the public to donate any unwanted kit to send to a charity in Rwanda he has become associated with.
Four-time Irish national road race champion Matt Brammeier is calling on the Irish cycling public to donate any unwanted cycling kit to send to a foundation in Rwanda he has become involved with.
Brammeier, along with former teammate and native Rwandan Adrien Niyonshuti, is collecting anything from unused shoes, helmets, gloves and shorts and will ship them abroad in the New Year to be used by the Team Africa Rising charity and its academy.
Drop-off centres in Cork City, Ballinrobe in Co Mayo and Dromore in Co Down will be open from December 27th to January 6th.
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“It’s something I’ve wanted to do with a while,” said Brammeier.
“Cyclists can never seem to have enough kit but I’m sure I speak for most of us when I say a lot of it gets unused, is too small or too big and simply unwanted.
“So, having seen the passion for the sport in Africa and knowing what’s needed, I felt I wanted to do something to help.
“Anything is welcome, even if it’s a pair of socks. The kit will go directly to riders in Rwanda who just don’t have the same access to kit we do.”
The response to Brammeier’s appeal has been amazing so far but in a country where the sport is exploding in terms of participation he’s hoping to get as much kit as possible.
Niyonshuti is one of the African continent’s most inspiring athletes and having survived the 1994 genocide that tore his country apart he recovered to become the first Rwandan to race professionally in Europe – that being at the 2009 Tour of Ireland.
He subsequently rode the mountain-bike event at the Olympics in 2012 and later became a teammate and good friend of Brammeier’s.
And so touched was the four-time Irish road champion by Niyonshuti’s story he felt a duty to help.
“Adrien is one of the most amazing people you could ever hope to meet," he said.
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“He’s an inspiration in Africa and what he has done for cycling is more than most people could ever dream of doing.
“This kit donation is my way of helping him lift the sport in a country with such a tragic history.
"And anything the Irish public can do to help will be gratefully appreciated by me and the Africa Rising foundation."
The kit must be clean and in a presentable condition. It will be shipped at Brammeier's expense from the locations below to Africa in the New Year.
Kit donation centres
The Edge Sports Superstore
Kinsale Road Commercial Centre
Kinsale Rd
Co Cork
Marrey Bikes
Watson’s Land, Ballinrobe
Co Mayo
Downey Cycles
33 Parkrow Road
Dromore BT25 1DP
United Kingdom
To contact Brammeier, email [email protected]
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