Testimonials I grew as a person I could not recommend partnering with Hands Across the Water enough. Having completed the Northern Thailand Ride in May 2019, I can highly recommend this opportunity to individuals, groups and businesses. An experience that helped me grow as a person while changing the lives of others (and meeting an INCREDIBLE bunch of people while doing so). Do it. Sign up. You will not regret it. Carinda Gosling - Digital Live Ride 2019 A true pleasure to work for This organisation is truly a pleasure to work for. While working at the homes here in Thailand, I can honestly say that the children here are full of joy, high spirits and full of smiles, despite what many of them have been through. Hands are doing amazing work and your help is much appreciated. I am very grateful for all that they are doing. Many of these kids would not be here if it wasn't for the good people of Hands. Joe Waller - Volunteer The ride of a lifetime The only true way to experience Thailand is on bicycle riding thought villages, the hills, next to the beach’s and a long side the rivers, What an amazing adventure supporting the beautiful kids of Thailand, giving them a future and supporting am amazing charity. Put it on your must do list. The ride of a life time. Tony Love-Linay - return rider, Santa to the kids, and the master behind the Renovation Taskforce The best inspiration In all my dreams I have always wanted to help kids across the world one way or another. Hands has been the best inspiration to further these dreams. I'm so honoured to have been a small part of an amazing group of people that help these awesome kids. Hands down one of the Best foundation for helping kids get the love and help they need for a better future. Denise Vieira - Volunteer I will be back for sure - it's life changing I’ve just completed the 2019 Southern Ride to Provide - this experience has impacted my life positively. To have the opportunity to have such a personal journey as well as helping to change children’s lives, by providing the opportunity for choice is a very special feeling. Hands group led a professional, quality, well organised & fun 8 days on the bike. I’ve created new friendships, new networks and strengthened existing relationships along the way. I will be back for sure, and am already planning to come back for a corporate ride with my team. I would highly recommend this ride to anyone of any age and ability - It’s life changing! Racheal Nasmith - 2019 Ride to Provide A meaningful experience If you are looking for meaningful experience, creating new meaningful connections and doing good at the same time (and a great start to your year) then look no further than an 800km (or 1600km) bike ride in Thailand with Hands Group. Anthony Chesler - 2019 Ride to Provide A rewarding personal challenge Having just completed the 800km southern ride with Hands and an amazing group of fellow riders I highly recommend the experience and what it delivers. personal challenges in both the fund raising and the bike riding seeing parts of Thailand completely off the tourist beaten track making new friends time on the bike to think and reflect on how lucky we are (and I am) sharing the ride with 2 amazing young men from Baan Tham Namchai conquering your demons (otherwise known as the hill) riding into BTN on the last day, seeing the kids, how happy and cared for they are, and knowing that in a small way I’ve contributed to this and the future choices they can make. So, sign up, get on your bike, train, fundraiser and get ready for an experience that will change your life — and the lives of the kids that you are riding for. Stuart Elder - 2019 Ride to Provide A win-win I first heard about HATW in 2012 and challenged myself to do the southern ride 2 years later. After the experience of riding 800km and finishing at the orphanage being surrounded by all the kids who would be benefitting from my fundraising - I was completely hooked. The following year I did the 1600km ride and again had an amazing experience. The physical challenge of riding around 100km a day in the Thailand heat is definitely a huge personal achievement. But the best part of the whole experience is visiting the orphanages, meeting the children and seeing what an amazing difference my fundraising is making to the lives of so many. It makes all the hard work so worthwhile. HATW is one of the most inspirational, well run, industrious and forward thinking charities I have ever worked with. It is a win win when you get to have a fun experience doing the ride while supporting a very worthwhile cause. I can't wait to do it all again soon. Carol Spence - 2014 Ride to Provide A phenomenal experience My experience with HATW trek 2017 was phenomenon! The time spent with the kids at BTN before we embark on the trek is priceless. For me personally the trek was an emotional and psychological. As its brought back some of the memories of my early days as a refugee in Malaysia, in the late 70s, living in tents for months, shower in river, limited necessities and amenities. The trek has bought people from all walks of life together with one common goal is to raise awareness for HAWT, and at the same time experience the amazing simple life of the villagers, their culture and trekking the beaten track of the Southern Thailand has to offer. The interaction with the home-stay family and involve in the cultural activities, like soap making and helping the homestay women with making desserts for our dinner. Two nights sleeping in the hammock definitely is challenging especially if you have to get up and out of the hammock for toilet stop:-) Highly recommended and if I have my way I'd like to do it again. Claire Berger has done a superb job coordinating the logistic for the trek, Claire and her husband Tim always making sure we OK, get feed. FYI - the packing list need to be reviewed, the T-Shirt may need redesign especially the collar. After one wash my T has become a nightie:-) on the positive note the T dry very quick! It would be good that HAWT consider include in the price a day pack? The riders has a pretty fancy roller pack this year! Yen Duong - 2017 Hands Trek Challenging but stunning The HATW 100km 2016 Trek meant so many different things to me. Having been involved for 10 years by then and always politely declining to do the 800km ride I knew it was something I could handle and enjoy. It gave me the chance to walk with my Sister Jo and a darling friend Jane as well as some Hands Family Members that I knew and finally to share all this with new trekking friends. We laughed. We cried. We sang and we learned a bit about ourselves and each other. The Trek was stunning (some might say challenging in parts but even with a recent shoulder injury it was all doable). The accommodation was such an amazing mix (i loved the water huts, home stay and hammocks) and the food was totally yummy. But the best best part was walking into BTN holding hands and having those beautiful children running towards us (can’t promise we weren't ALL bawling by that stage!!!!) Gabe Mostyn - 2016 Hands Trek An everlasting impact I have been involved with Hands Across the Water for several years - as an event supporter, a sponsor of children, a supporter of riders and for the last two years as a Rider in the annual Ride to Provide. In 2018, along with two people from work, I did Coastal Ride from Bangkok to Khoa Lak. In 2019 I did the Mekong ride from Nong Khai to Yasothon. People ask me what was your favourite ride? The rides are very different but equally enjoyable - The coastal ride has spectacular ocean views and fishing villages for most of the way, and it ends at BTN where Hands began. The Mekong ride winds through remote parts of northeast Thailand through many small villages and finishes at Home Hug which could be the happiest place in the world. They are both great, and I will definitely do both again. While the fundraising can be daunting, I found that people are very generous when they know the money is going to where there is a genuine need. The fundraising is for the Kids but the ride - well that was for me. I had not been on a bike for more than ten years, and when I started training in mid-2017, it certainly hurt, but after a couple of months, my bike legs came back, and I was ready for the ride. What an experience it is, riding with a bunch of other people who are all on the same journey as you. 800km in 8 days sounds daunting, but it is very achievable. It's really forty 20km rides. The whole ride is well organised. Hands, Gae, and the team from TDA make the ride possible for almost anyone. Every drink stop, meal, the hotels, and the bikes are excellent. It's not a race, and you always ride at your pace. No matter where you ride the front, middle of the pack or at the back, there is always someone close by encouraging you and helping you get through. I have enjoyed riding since I got back from my 2018 ride and cycling has become an important part of my life. I would encourage anybody who wants to do some good in the world and do something for themselves, to do one of these rides. It has had an everlasting impact on me, and I have developed some very strong friendships from people I have ridden with. I will keep doing the rides until I can't physically do them. Steven Ford - 2018, 2019 Ride to Provide You won't regret it Why would you do it? Go from rarely being on a bike for 20 years to riding 800 klm in 8 days in a foreign land. Friends and family think you’ve lost it or going through a mid-life crisis (I wish - at 60 if only that were true). The challenges of raising $10,000 for the cause and being worried as to whether your bum can cope with being on a bike seat for that long. For me it was a light bulb moment. A thought bubble that said to me get out and do something out of the norm while helping others. I had already had my life lottery win by an early diagnosis of leukemia, and with all under control it was time to ensure my health while giving back. I had heard Peter Baines talk at a corporate function some years earlier and his story, thoughts, hopes and passion for Hands rested in the recesses of my brain. The time was right for me so in June 2014 I signed up for the January 2015 800klm in 8 days Southern Ride thinking it would be a great one-off experience. It was all of that and more. So much so I did backed up for the Northern Ride in 2017 and the “double” in 2019. To the question people often ask “is it hard” or state “I could never do that” I answer some sections are tougher than others or you might even have a hard day but even the hardest days are some of the most satisfying days of your life. The underlying principle that is with you the entire journey is helping disadvantaged kids. However, there is no doubt you do the ride for yourself as well. I found strength of thought and physical capacity that I did not know I possessed. Every ride brings together people from different parts of life with their own stories and challenges. The camaraderie is immediate from day one and there are always inspirational stories and/or riders getting through the day after a long and often hot struggle. Even the fund-raising, as challenging as it is, provides an opportunity to bring together friends and family be it for dinner, a movie night or to experience the Night of Celebration. It also makes you think about how to raise money differently in a world where there are so many worthy charities. The icing on the cake is meeting the kids you raise money for at the end of each ride. Each and every child is rich in personality and highly loving. Hands simply provides an opportunity for these kids to have meaningful lives and to go on and help others.Take a punt and do the ride. You won’t regret it. Mal McClelland - 2015, 2017, 2019 Ride to Provide and 2015, 2017 Renovation Taskforce Valerie Timms - 2019 Digital Live Ride Alison Flemming - 2019 Ride to Provide, 2018 Scentre Group Friends & Family Ride