Student celebrates restricted license with spin behind wheel of Ferrari
A Tamatea High School student has celebrated his restricted licence in style behind the wheel of a Ferrari.
Jessie Maunder, in Year 13, was able to gain his restricted through the Got Drive Trust, which was formed in 2014 to deliver needs-based driving programmes for communities on the East Coast.
His mum doesn't drive and his father died several years ago so he had no one with a full licence to teach him.
Through support from the Taradale Rotary’s Kel Tremain Trust, Jessie learnt to drive and then with the help of Senior Constable Mark Johnson, the Community Constable for Tamatea, and the Got Drive Trust, was able to practice his skills and pass his restricted.
When Johnson heard through his colleagues that David Mulligan, a New Zealand-born, Thailand-based entrepreneur was in Hawke’s Bay, he organised to reward Jessie for the grit and determination he had shown with a ride in the 2021 812hp Ferrari.
Students admire a 2021 812hp Ferrari on the school grounds. Photo/Supplied.
The trust has supported the school by providing free driving lessons for some of the students and also providing a dual control car for the school to use for driving practice.
They operate on a referral basis for those who are proven to be ‘at risk’ and who don’t have the resources to obtain a license through other means. Like all trusts operating to help the community, the requests for their assistance far outweigh their resources.
Tamatea High School’s Head of Careers and coordinator of the school’s license programme said it is a game changer for young people when they get their restricted license.
“The young people can then drive legally, which keeps their relationships with law enforcement positive and stops them from gaining fines. They become far more useful to potential employers and it provides a big boost of confidence, which enhances their well-being in these difficult times.”
Working with ‘Got Drive Trust’ and the Police, Tamatea High School aims to remove the barriers for any student in gaining their licence.
