Every year a group of volunteers host the Sydney Convoy for Kids, where truckies show up in force with roaring engines and gleaming trucks to help fundraise for crucial medical services for children in need.
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This year’s convoy raised $40,000 to go directly to NETS Ambulance Service for children under the age of 16 years old who need a hospital transfer from a country hospital to a major city, as well as to Kidzfix, a charity that crafts custom bikes for disabled children.
“Giving a bike to a disabled child is like freedom, they don’t have to be stuck in a wheelchair,” says convoy president Mark Smallwood.
“Once you’re a part of it, it’s about being able to see the kids receive what they need.”
“NETS now has 27 ambulances, and they rely on donations to keep them going. There are quite a few families in the industry who have had to use these ambulances so it’s close to their hearts as well.”
This year’s event was a great success, drawing about 250 trucks and 150 participants to the family day at the Hawkesbury Showgrounds in Clarendon.
“The show was just brilliant! After Covid and that flood we had at Hawkesbury, we’re finally seeing it get bigger every year.”
The trucks ranged from massive prime movers and rigids to historical army vehicles, creating a dazzling parade that thrilled the crowd.
Local businesses and tow companies rallied to support the cause, with family-owned business Winston Express providing a helping hand since day dot – this year supplying the trailer used for the live band’s stage.
The festivities didn’t stop at the trucks, however – patrons enjoyed face painting, a live radio broadcast where crowds could listen in with the hope of getting interviewed, and musical entertainment to boogie along to.
Kids got to meet their favourite cartoon characters like Bluey and Bingo, and there was even a strong man competition.
“It was actually their national championship and that attracted an extra 100 people to the event,” Mark says.
“They held their event on the grounds and participated in the convoy. They also did a truck pull, hooking a rope to a harness and dragging a truck up the road.”
Mark says that in this day and age, it’s uncommon for kids to get up close and personal with a truck, even if their loved one is driving it.
“This convoy is a great opportunity for little ones to see a big truck and sit in it. It’s a big day for them, where they can hop on free rides and wonder which stall to go to.”
The smiles on children’s faces as they explored monster trucks made the hard work worthwhile, creating a memorable experience for the families involved.
For the community, Mark believes the convoy is a good excuse for drivers to get their trucks polished up, a chore that most of them enjoy, surprisingly – but the convoy doesn’t come without its challenges.
“We do find over the years that it’s really hard to support everything, even in the industry, as we face other competition as well which takes a toll on the committee,” he says.
“It’s hard to choose a date when something else is not on. The people who do attend, they’re always happy, they give what they can, but they’re all just average Joe Blows, hard-working blue-collar workers. It’s not as if we’ve got the ability to raise million dollars in the corporate world.
“These are just people who see where their hard-earned money is going and know it’s all voluntary based and not-for-profit.”
For Mark and his team, it’s obvious that the success of the Sydney Convoy for Kids is about much more than just numbers, but about making a difference in the lives of those who need it most.
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