Kia ora e te whānau, I’m Phoebe Balle, Bike Auckland’s new Volunteer and Events Manager.
My people hail from Norway, Sweden and Denmark on mum’s side and England, Ireland and Scotland on dad’s. I grew up on the edge of the Waitematā in Tāmaki Makaurau on the whenua of Ngāti Whātua-o-Ōrākei. Kei te mihi ki ngā tangata whenua katoa o tēnei rohe. After 8 years living in Wellington and overseas, I now live in Pāremoremo. A finger of the Waitematā once again runs just below my whare. It’s good to be home.
Bikes are part of Phoebe Balle’s earliest memories, and her vocation
With a postie for a dad and a love for independence and adventure, biking has always been a normal part of my life. One of my earliest memories is the first time I rode a bike on the Pukekohe Primary School field behind Nan’s house when I was four. Over the last decade I’ve worked with bikes in many different ways: as a cycle skills instructor, community mechanic, tour guide and researcher. In my 20s, I spent 6 months pedalling around Te Wai Pounamu and much of Te Ika a Māui. Earlier this year I had the privilege of spending 2 months exploring some of my ancestral places by bike, mostly in Norway and the Scottish highlands. If you need any route recommendations, hit me up!
Riding bikes and volunteering can be incredibly transformative, and that’s why I took this job – I want to help others get a taste of the good stuff. I also really care about creating fun ways for people to connect and give back. It’s about growing stronger more resilient whānau and communities. I look forward to connecting with our Bike Auckland crew over the coming months. If you’re looking for proactive ways to connect and shape a city that works for you, join us!
You can reach me at volunteer@bikeauckland.org.nz
