In Martin Place on Friday 16 September the achievement of four long distance cyclists – Ray Griffin, Peter Bobbin, Mitch Carrington and Roger Simionato – was celebrated as they completed their 1,250 km ride from Bourke to Sydney. 

The 2011 BT Future2 Wheel Classic was warmly welcomed by The Lord Mayor of Sydney Clover Moore and an enthusiastic band of supporters.  Rob Pedersen CFP, Future2 trustee hosted the event, at which Mark Rantall, CEO of the Financial Planning Association, Gordon McNaught of BT Financial and Rick Di Cristoforo of Matrix Planning Solutions also spoke.  

To date, over $71,500 has been raised from corporate sponsorship and individual donations – sufficient to fund all of Future2 2011 grants for the year, giving a second chance and hope for a better future to disadvantaged young Australians.

As well as the sheer endurance and determination of the cyclists, the Wheel Classic demonstrated the capacity of the financial planning profession, and others linked to it, to give back to the community.

• FPA Chapter Chairs in Dubbo (Sandy Dunshea), Orange (Peter Roan) and Wollongong (David Richardson) helped organise a series of public seminars on wealth accumulation, preservation and distribution – brilliantly presented by Peter Bobbin – after a long day’s pedalling
• Hari Maragos CFP of Victoria Wealth Management (representative of AMP Financial Planning) gave up two weeks annual leave and loaned his 4WD as a support vehicle, prepared all our meals and rode ‘shotgun’ behind to keep heavy transport drivers aware of the cyclists, making it a much safer ride.  He also secured the support of Caltex (fuel vouchers), Carman’s Fine Foods (muesli and muesli bars) and BSC Bikes (spares)
• Bruce Madden of Blue Chip Communication donned his leathers and rode at the rear flank of the cyclists as they made their way along the challenging, often busy, road from Crookwell to Nowra.

“We had practical help and support from dozens of other people too – not least our sponsors.  We were touched also by the spontaneous support we received along the road from people with no link to financial planning.  We were stopped by truck drivers, grey nomads and others who’d heard about us on local radio or in the press, and given money”, says Ray Griffin.

“But the missing ingredient to the fund-raising was the overall absence of a grass roots level of support from financial planners.” Griffin added.

“Future2 is their foundation and it was established to provide a vehicle to collectively demonstrate that the profession does care about the community and does give back. Apart from a few donations and great support from planners with seminars en route – for which we are very grateful – there was a conspicuous absence of individual planners in the donor list and that’s of great concern.”

Griffin went on to say: “In a modern, rich, economy like Australia being a professional is a privilege and with that privilege comes an unwritten, unspoken, obligation to give back to the community. While I recognise that many financial planning firms are giving back in various ways it would be wonderful to see much more support for the ‘unbranded’ Future2 Foundation.

“The good news is there is still time to make a donation via the Future2 Foundation website at www.future2fundraising.org.au“.

The BT Future2 Wheel Classic was supported by BT Financial (gold partner), Matrix Planning Solutions (silver partner), AMP Financial Planning and Hillross (bronze partners).  Commonwealth Financial Planning sponsored a series of seminars on the tax aspects of wealth accumulation and preservation, given at four locations along the route by Peter Bobbin – after a long day in the saddle! 

Future2, the foundation of the Australian financial planning profession, exists to support the financially under-privileged and to enable the financial planning profession and associated stakeholders to give back to the community from which they draw their livelihoods.  Grants of some $150,000 have been committed to grassroots organizations, giving hope for a better future to many disadvantaged young Australians.

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