Cycling is not only a great way for children to become more active, it’s also a practical and healthy transportation decision that can last a lifetime. While bicycle helmets are a requirement for any youth who ride a bike, the cost of a helmet can present a financial challenge for many families. To help meet this need, the Ontario Trial Lawyers Association and the Brain Injury Association of London & Region, together with their community partners, will be distributing more than 900 bicycle helmets to school children in London and Middlesex County over the coming days, weeks and months. The long-running and successful Helmets on Kids campaign has made cycling safe and accessible to thousands of youth across the region for more than a decade.
The annual Helmets on Kids campaign will kick-off on Thursday, June 20th at 9:30 a.m. at Riverside Public School, located at 550 Pinetree Drive in London. Guest speakers will include:
- Bruce Nielsen, Learning Supervisor, Thames Valley District School Board
- Linda Staudt, Director of Education, London District Catholic School Board
- Wesley Hill and Cyrena Hill, competitive cyclists who rely on their helmets every day
- Jennifer Lindsay, London Health Sciences Centre
- Stephanie McGill, Brain Injury Association of London & Region
- Katelynn Drake, Legate Personal Injury Lawyers
At the conclusion of the Helmets on Kids launch, officers from the London Police Service will lead presentations about bicycle and helmet safety. The goal of the Helmets on Kids campaign is to ensure that bicycle helmets are provided to every child who needs one. The campaign also teaches children how to wear their helmet correctly.
As a key supporter of the campaign, the Ontario Trial Lawyers Association is committed to promoting safety and preventing injuries in communities across the province. Association members from London started Helmets on Kids in 2003, when they delivered the first 200 bicycle helmets to local children. The success of the campaign prompted the Ontario Trial Lawyers Association to expand the Helmets on Kids campaign province-wide. To date, helmets have been purchased and distributed to children in Chatham, Peel Region, Toronto, Ottawa, Burlington, Windsor, and other parts of Ontario.
Helmets donated by London members of the Association will be distributed through the Thames Valley District School Board, the London District Catholic School Board, London Health Sciences Centre, the Children’s Safety Village of London and Area, the Brain Injury Association of London and Region and The Big Bike Giveaway.
According to the Canadian Institute for Health Information, cycling-related head injuries in children and youth account for 60% of hospitalizations in this age group. The risk of a brain injury can be reduced by up to 88% simply by wearing a bicycle helmet.
Numerous London businesses and local lawyers and law firms have made financial donations to purchase helmets for the Helmets on Kids campaign, which is administered by the Brain Injury Association of London & Region. The campaign is also supported by the Middlesex-London Health Unit, the London Police Service, London Health Sciences Centre, Middlesex-London EMS, Thames Valley District School Board, London District Catholic School Board, Stride Rehabilitation Services and the Ministry of Transportation.
More than 900 bicycle helmets will be distributed to children who need them this year.
Media Contacts:
Jake Aitcheson, Lerners LLP – jaitcheson@lerners.ca (519-640-6396)
Stephanie McGill, Executive Director, Brain Injury Association of London and Region – info@braininjurylondon.on.ca (519-642-4539)