After 10 years the Scrapheap Adventure Ride has a big following and has raised around $800,000 for Down Syndrome NSW and Australia. Its founder, the irrepressible Perry ‘Pezz’ Gilsenan, has been gonged. Never was an Order Of Australia awarded to a more deserving, happy and adventurous character. Adventure Rider Magazine had a chat with the man himself.
Perry Gilsenan. Founder of the Scrapheap Adventure Ride, mad-keen tinkerer and now, Order Of Australia recipient.
Originally started on the web forum advrider.com, the Scrapheap Adventure Ride was put together by a few mates. Perry’s daughter, Grace, who was six at the time, has Down Syndrome and Perry thought it could be possibly be an opportunity to raise awareness of the condition. Down Syndrome NSW, very supportive during the early years with information and advice, was keen to be associated, so the idea became reality.