Many kids in Kolkata live pretty tough lives. Grinding poverty doesn’t leave a heap of space for fun or joy. But we think joy and fun are important!

Joyride exists to create spaces where kids can just be kids. Where they no longer need to be the income earner or the domestic help, and they can just play, have fun, and experience joy. Funds raised through Joyride will go towards buying equipment, running events, sending kids to school and opening up university opportunities, supporting youth groups, kids clubs, and having a whole lot of fun.

Play builds our sense of curiosity and exploration, it allows us to think of another world. Through play, children learn to conceptualise, to pretend, to imagine, to dream, and to hope again.

Clearly the best way to raise funds for fun is through even more fun and so in New Zealand we host Joyride!

Challenge yourself to do a cycling challenge and gather sponsors for support! Or go one step further and get a team together to foster some healthy competition between you.

There’s no limit to how enjoyable or challenging you can make your Joyride. A few ideas:

- Challenge yourself to ride a distance you've never ridden before - this might be in a day, a week or a month

- Cycle to work in fancy dress for an entire month to spread joy to passers by!

- Hide the car keys for a fortnight and cycle everywhere during that time

- Create pictures with your rides on an app like Strava or Map My Ride.

- Attempt an Everesting Challenge! Pick any hill, anywhere in the world and complete repeats of it until you climb the 8,848m elevation of Mt Everest. Some people Everest in one day some do it in one month.

Pick one of these challenges or come up with your own, your imagination is the only limit.

This will be our 4th year Joyriding. Last year we raised just over $100,000 together - it's a huge dream, but we would love to better that this year! We had a great time and provided fun for so many kids last year! Join us this year to create even more