Community news

Beau Cosgrove mainly rides around in a wheelchair in his hometown of Taralga, near Goulburn, but has ridden a bull at a rodeo and hopes to represent Australia in wheelchair rugby.

At just one-year-old, Beau was diagnosed with a very rare, life-threatening illness, Morquio A Syndrome, a genetic condition that affects the growth of his cartilage, bones and spine and organs.

However, it doesn’t impact his physical ability to ride all the bumps life has thrown him in his 13 years.

Now, with the help of the Goulburn community, Convoy for kids, FDC's Ride to Give and Beau’s mum Sam, Essential Energy is getting behind fundraising for a trailer to carry Beau’s new all-terrain wheelchair.

Beau’s first wheelchair was second-hand, also organised through community fundraising.

During a Ride to Give sponsorship dinner in Goulburn on 20 May, enough was raised to purchase the trailer, with Chief People Officer Amalie Smith donating $1000 to Beau and $2000 to Ride to Give’s nominated charity, Boys to the Bush, on behalf of Essential Energy. Other local businesses chipped in to top up the balance.

Amalie said it was the second year Essential Energy had supported the annual Ride to Give, where cyclists embark on a three-day ride to raise funds and awareness for causes that make a real difference across regional NSW. Since it began a decade ago, the ride has raised more than $3.2 million.

“Alongside my colleague Myles McClelland, our senior resource supervisor in Goulburn, we are delighted to be involved in such a worthy event that sees the money raised go to providing positive influences and mentorship to boys in regional communities across NSW.

“Essential Energy, much like this ride, weaves through regional, rural and remote NSW delivering safe and reliable electricity to 890,00 homes and businesses. As an organisation, we understand the importance of offering meaningful opportunities to the communities in which we live and work.”

Essential Energy Chief People Officer Amalie Smith with Beau Cosgrove and organisers of the Ride to Give charity bike ride.

Find out more

Watch this story of Beau Cosgrove’s journey on YouTube
Ride To Give
Boys to the Bush