The smiles on faces said it all last weekend (June 12) at the TECT All Terrain Park when 100 children with learning disabilities experienced the thrill of 4WD (four-wheel-drive) off-road adventure.

Fifty vehicles and drivers from the Bay of Plenty 4WD Club rolled up to the Park on Saturday where the children, their parents and carers from the Parent to Parent branches of Rotorua and Tauranga had gathered for a day of adventure.

Stinging rain and chilly winds made the day more memorable and certainly made the going an extreme day out for the 4WD experts and their young passengers.

The children were treated to 15-minute 4X4 runs full of thrills including ploughing through bogs, grinding up steep banks and spinning along gravel roads.

Jason Carter from 4WD Bay of Plenty said it was great to share their sport with the wider community. Seeing the joy on the faces of the children was an example of how the Park is a fantastic asset for the region, he said.

“All kids love playing in the mud - they get cold and dirty and come back with a big grin on their faces – it's great to see.”

Adding fuel in the form of food for the day was Mainfreight Transport which had donated heaps of sausages, burgers, barbeque facilities and staff to cook up a feast for the army of hungry, wet and muddy children and parents. Goodman Fielder, Mount Maunganui, had also chipped in with the buns and bread.

Parent to Parent regional co-ordinator Angela Lloyd from Rotorua had organised the day and said it was so successful they plan to make it an annual event. She and her husband John are 4WD enthusiasts and had come up with the idea when talking about doing something special for the Parent to Parent children.

A call to Park ranger Jarron McInnes and a visit to Western Bay of Plenty District Council to talk about Parent to Parent had turned the idea to reality.

“We can't thank Jarron (park ranger) enough – he has gone above and beyond our expectations – it has been a terrific day for everyone. Just seeing the children's faces and their anticipation before they go on the run and then seeing them come back with a big, dirty grin – it's so great,” said Angela.Parent to Parent is a charitable organisation that helps and supports parents of children with learning and physical disabilities and organises events such as family camps and fun days to enable the children to extend their abilities and confidence. Through the organisation, families that have children with learning disabilities link up with other families in similar situations to offer each other support.

4WD club member Colin Piper in action.