Photo Competition 2010

Don't forget to start looking through your October 2009 to September 2010 photographs to enliven the competition. Above is one of the winning photo's from last year and very topical at this time it is too. See this blog for the rules under date 24 December.

Author: mike morley

Message from your CTC National Councillors

Statement from Helen Vecht and Greg Price - CTC National Councillors representing London and signed also by John Meudell, CTC National Councillor for the South East.

Below is the text of a message that Helen and Greg asked the Chief Executive of the CTC to issue to the members that they represent.

The Chairman of the National Council is refusing to allow this message to be sent to their constituents without an accompanying message from him.

Draw your own conclusions!

Here is the message that the Chairman found so threatening that it could not be issued without a parental warning:

Dear Members

As you may be aware, when you receive your copy of ‘Cycle’ this month it will be accompanied by a yellow sheet of paper. This sheet is a ballot paper and members are being asked to vote again on a motion that was put to the AGM in May.

You are being asked to vote again on Motion 8 – which is proposing that the Club be converted into a charity and merged with the CTC Trust. This motion was narrowly passed at the AGM, after the Chair of Council used his discretionary proxy votes to push it through. Prior to the Chair casting his discretionary votes the motion had been lost on the directed votes of the members.

This re-run of the vote has been forced upon Council by the action of ordinary members who were dissatisfied by the way that the vote at the AGM was handled and by the unbalanced view of the proposals which had been put forward by Council prior to the AGM. Contrary to what is implied in some of the messages currently being put out by those supporting Motion 8, the use of the Article 36 procedure to call for a re-vote is perfectly legitimate and proportionate, and it is a valuable protection for members’ interests enshrined in the CTC’s constitutional documents. Only 200 members’ signatures are required to trigger a re-vote under Article 36 – and over 600 members’ signatures were gathered in a very short space of time.

Before the AGM in May, we made it clear that we did not support the proposal outlined in Motion 8 and we encouraged you all to vote against it – and we regret that since the AGM nothing has happened to change our views on the matter. Unfortunately, Council has not fully grasped the opportunity arising after the AGM to put things in order within the existing structure.

We would urge all members to vote against Motion 8 in this re-vote.

We appreciate that our views put us at odds with the formal position of Council. However, we believe that we have an obligation to you, our members, to be open and honest in our views and to act to safeguard your interests.

However, whatever your decision on the merits of Motion 8, we would urge you to make sure you vote. Please be part of the decision-making process, rather than letting others decide for you.

We should also note that we are aware that some of the ballot papers sent out by National Office have errors on them (e.g. the wrong names or people who are eligible to vote omitted). Please check your ballot paper carefully and, if it is wrong, please contact Peter Jackson at National Office (peter.jackson@ctc.org.uk) to get a corrected ballot paper.

For further information on our objections, please see the Save the CTC web-site: www.savethectc.org.uk

Kind regards

Helen Vecht and Gregory Price

CTC National Councillors for London

John Meudell

CTC National Councillor for the South East

Author: Jeff

Happy Christmas

Polar Bear made from plastic bottles at Saville Gardens joined together with tie wraps!

Author: Pete

LCC Award for Simon Legg

London Cycling Campaign - Best Cycling Event

Simon receives the award from Jenny Jones (London Assembly Member)

Grateful thanks to Steve Rutherford for permission to reproduce this photo.

Congratulations to Simon on being joint winner of the London Cycling Camaign's 2010 award for the Best Non-Competitive Cycling Event. This was for his superb organisation of the monthly Friday Night Rides to the Coast, under the banner of Cheam & Morden CTC. The FNRttC involves a huge, personal commitment from Simon, as well as the support of a loyal band of helpers from far and wide.Well done Simon. We are proud of you.

Jeff

Author: Jeff

DA AGM, 7 November 2010

Beginning to congregate at Breech Lane Community Centre
Walton on the Hill

Author: Jeff

Golden Beeches Weekend

Carolyn & Christina (Long Ride)

Medium (slow ride Saturday)

We cycled up the Chiltern Ancient Holloways, very eerie and spectacular.

In the high Chiltern woodlands with the beech leaves turning golden and ‘Kites’ hanging in the sky overhead. This year’s Golden Beeches cycle ride was idyllic. challenging in places. Cyclists from as far and wide came from Birmingham, Durham, Wales, Nottingham.

A good turn out from Phoenix club and SouWester members, Fiona & David on 27 miles Chiltern edge and Vale villages.
Pete Mitchell and Lisa cycled 47 miles Eythrope Park and Ashendon.
Mike Morley with his workmate and CTC oxon member Peter, Carolyn Beer and twin sister Christina, CTC oxon member cycled 57 miles Waterperry and Western Chilterns, this included the very steep ‘ski slope’.

To complete the Saturday evening we had a delicious meal and slide show Cesenatico (Italy) to Coldsteam (Scotland).

From Carolyn Beer

Author: Pete

1 Comment:

mike morley 01 November 2010 at 17:33 GMT

Well done Carolyn good write-up and what a good picture!

Golden Beeches 2010

Author: Pete

Where in the World?

Well not necessarily in the World but where in the area of the SWLDA? Or to be more precise Surrey. It's a well known landmark and no doubt will be recognised immediately by so many! But will anyone care to enter into the spirit and make a comment below????

Author: mike morley

Begginers Section

On the train coming back from the "Sky Ride" I met Gina along with children Sasha & Duncan all looking very fit with very good spec bikes and a credit to David Aylett, Nigel Taylor, Shirley & Collin Quemby and others who have all helped this charming family to start and perfect their cycling skills. Gina was very complimentary about the Beginners group so I though you would all like to know - Well done yet again!

Author: mike morley

SKY Ride

Some of the Team who took part in the Sky Ride today. I was loitering with intent in Wetherspoons and Eddy came in and so I tagged along!

Later on at the main arena in St. Jame's Park, the main stage up-staged by a touring bike!

Second prize awarded to the most original costume on the day?

Author: mike morley

FNRttC Martlets Ride to Brighton 4 Sept

Sunrise over Ditchling Beacon. Well done again Simon you are a Star & there were plenty of those in the sky last night as I waited at Chipstead to marshall.

Lots of helping hands at the Beacon summit from all the kind ladies from the Martlets!

Author: mike morley

Where in Surrey?

To the observant, where within the ride confines of our Member Group (DA) is this?

Author: mike morley

FNRttC Brighton 23/24 July

An impromptu stop and gathering of the Clan at Wiversfield en-route to Ditchling 5am Saturday morning.

Trying out a recumbent only to fall off almost simultaneously. An acquired art.

Being too lazy to take shoes off lady assistant removing longs. More revealing picture on Cycle Chat.

Atop Ditchling Beacon celebrating Simon Legg's Birthday. Much more on Cycle Chat follow the link on the DA website. This was my first FNRttC this year and it proved very enjoyable with lots of new faces to me. These rides are a credit to Simon and his organisational skills which fully justify his award at this years Annual Dinner in Loughborough! Happy Birthday Simon. All due credit to Claudia and others who arranged the surprise for Simon who was completely oblivious to the preparation. Champagne and party poppers at 6am in the morning is a once in a lifetime event!

Author: mike morley

Brockham Victorian Fair

The redoubtable Clive Oxx former CTC Councillor organiser of the Sutton Cycling Club Treasure Hunts prepared by Clive for the organisers. Shown at the start of the 8 mile ride Clive in Red hat with family members preparing to ride.

Similarly Clive's son and family at Brockham church along with Midweek Wayfarers Sonia, Clive's sister and Lynda who organises each year the "Souwester" team shirts for the Dieppe Raid.

Author: mike morley

Saturday Ride July 17th

Today Tony H. led an excellent ride around London to visit the new Olympic Games site. We met at Waterloo at 10am. We came our various routes so as not to have too many bikes on one train. I got my train from West Ewell - and I had the only bike at that time! We were 18 in our group; and Eric did a grand job of back-marking us. We came out of Waterloo Station, turned left and went straight across the road along the Thames. We made our way to Tower Bridge passing busy Borough Market on our left. We weaved about and eventually came to our coffee stop at the Thames Barrier. After a leisurely drink and snack sitting outside the Barrier cafe, we continued to Greenwich. As the lift was broken, we decided to take the ferry across the water. After disembarking Tony consulted his map and we cycled along the Green Way. (I did wonder if the name had been taken from Dieppe's Avenue Verte). After this disused railway line we arrived at the Olympic site. It looks quite something. The main stadium is up and work is being done on the landscaping. After milling about there for a while, we continued back to Tower Bridge to our lunch stop at a Wetherspoons there. Our route included cycling along the new blue painted Cycle Highway 3. After a late lunch, Tony cycled back with some of the group while others made their way back to Waterloo Station. A very interesting and enjoyable ride with good weather.

Lynda.

Author: Pete

Les Warner, former CTC secretary, died last week. The funeral is tomorrow, Thursday at 3.30 pm July 1st at Guildford Crematorium.

Author: Pete

Sou'Wester Success @ Dieppe

Well done the Sou'Westers in 2010, yet again the largest group, the most mileage, the least young on 3 counts and yet again winner of the MTB Tombola for the second year in succession. Isabelle our charming host from the La Plage Hotel can be seen at the end of her 20km ride and Caroline Street the organiser is taking a well earned rest after her 7 Marathon's

Author: mike morley

Downlanders at Henfold

The magnificent 7 settling down to their traditional Downlanders Breakfast at Henfold.

Some may be car assisted and why not but they all rode their bikes, some in tandem, others single file or even 2 abreast. Now there's a thought said the little Gosling!

As for me do not call me "Dook" that's a Nottingham expression! In any case I am not a duck but a "Goose" from Canada. In which case you should read the sign painted on the White Cliffs of Dover! Seven signets in all counted a large brood according to Angie who knows about these things?

Author: mike morley

Simon Legg

Simon Legg – CTC Volunteer of the Year for London Simon Legg was nominated for this award because of the work on the ‘Friday Night Rides’ from London to the South Coast which is now in its 5th year. The simple idea of a night ride from London to the south coast organised by Cheam and Morden CTC has become a phenomenon. The ride attracts its own diverse communities including many people completely new to cycling. The Friday Night Rise Club

Simon has given up an enormous amount of his time to make the rides a success for the hundreds of people who take part. The rides are promoted to a wide audience particularly in London and South East, with 13 rides in 2010 already arranged, one being a ride from York to Cleethorpes which will include watching the sunrise on the Humber Bridge.

Author: Pete

CTC Annual Dinner Loughborough

From my point of view it was a great dinner and I was very impressed with all the prize winners achievements and especially so for the special awards given to groups that had started new innovations like BMX riding. Congratulations to CTC for presenting these awards.
As for the voting mine goes to that wonderful Sue Cherry, not only for organising the day, with help from others but for giving such unstinting service to CTC and it's members over the years. Long may she reign!

Author: mike morley

Outcome of Charity Status Vote - CTC AGM, 15 May 2010

Follow this savethectc link to see the outcome of the AGM vote at Loughborough on 15 May on converting The CTC into a charity.

Jeff

Author: Jeff

Message from our CTC Councillors for Greater London

Dear All

Below is a message from Greg Price and Helen Vecht, our CTC Councillors for Greater London. In it they give their views on the proposal to turn the CTC into a Charitable Trust. They state their own reasons for rejecting the proposal and recommend that members vote against the 3 motions numbered 8, 9 and 10 on the voting form which comes with the current issue of Cycle Magazine.

Please make sure that you use your vote. You will not have another chance.

As they are Councillors who oppose this proposal, the CTC has not extended to them the opportunity to have their views circulated from CTC HQ through centrally held membership lists. Councillors who support the proposal have been given this opportunity. This posting is made partly to redress that imbalance.

Jeff

A message from your CTC Councillors for London

Hello everyone

Over the next few days, the April-May copy of Cycle will be dropping on to your doormat. Along with the magazine will be the agenda for CTC’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) on 15 May, together with a proxy voting form. It is the AGM, and certain motions before that meeting, that we are writing to you about.

At the AGM on 15 May, Council will be asking members to agree to changes in the status of the CTC – these changes will have significant and far reaching implications for the membership and for the future of the organisation. Council wants members to authorise it to change the Club, the organisation that has existed as a membership company for over 130 years, into a charity and to merge it with the CTC Trust.

You may have noticed over the few months that there have been a lot of positive messages put out about the proposals – for example the new issue of Cycle which accompanies the AGM agenda and proxy voting paper has a pro-change article on pages 6 and 7, and subtle (and some less subtle) hints have been appearing in the weekly CTC email newsletter. There has been a ‘hard sell’ going on and, although a previous issue of Cycle had an opposing view eloquently put by Simon Legg (a former Councillor), those who may oppose the proposals have been denied full access to the resources being deployed by Council and National Office to persuade you to vote in favour.

For Council’s decision to put these proposals to the membership was not unanimous, and as more information about the possible implications for members and member groups has emerged, a number Councillors have become uneasy about the direction Council and National Office are trying to take the Club in. We are two of these Councillors and, despite a number of unfortunate attacks on the personal integrity of those councillors and former councillors who do not support the proposals, we have made our views known publicly as we believe that is what you, the members, would want.

We oppose the proposals being put forward by Council as we are of the firm opinion that they are not in the best interests of the members, the member groups or the Club. Making the CTC a charity will not restore control of the Club and the trust to members – indeed it will have the opposite effect.

Under charity law, Councillors (who would also be trustees) would have to put the wider public interest and the interests of the organisations before the concerns of members or member groups. No amount of spin or fine words from those supporting these proposals can change this simple fact. And the members of other organisations, such as the Youth Hostelling Association, have found to their cost that the lure of supposed tax breaks doesn’t make up for losing control of your club.

There is also the issue of Club and Trust finances. These are far from transparent but it is clear that the Club is pumping in large amounts of members’ money to ensure that the Trust is able to balance its books - £453,051 in the last financial year alone. This is addition to the £407,000 paid by the Club for services provided to it by the Trust.

Council and National Office have assured the membership that the finances are in fine fettle, and they have made much about offering a meeting on the accounts to those with concerns. But we have to report that this meeting was far from successful. National Office and Council were not able to adequately explain the finances and the figures they were putting forward as supporting the proposal to change the Club to a charity did not stand up to scrutiny. These are not just our views – but those of an expert accountant who was at that meeting.

Council has tried to suggest that those who are opposing the changes are doing so for nefarious reasons. This is not the case. Those who have concerns over the proposals (us included) simply believe that there is a better way forward for CTC and that, with proper governance and clearer accountability, the present structure can be made to work properly and in the best interests of members.

We would urge all members to consider the proposals very carefully. Look at all the information that is available and take care to look behind the spins and rhetoric. You might also find it useful to look at the discussions on the CTC’s forums (http://forum.ctc.org.uk) or the information available on the Save the CTC web-site (http://www.savethectc.org.uk).

Please bear in mind that the changes being proposed by Council – if agreed and enacted – will be irreversible. You are being asked to take a step that will not only affect you and your family, but future generations of CTC members.

Our personal recommendation to members is that they should vote against Motions 8, 9 and 10 at this year’s AGM.

But whatever you do, and whichever way you decide to vote, please ensure that you do vote in this AGM. If you are unable to attend the AGM itself in Loughborough on 15 May, please use your proxy vote. If you haven’t received a form you can ask for one from National Office.

This is your club and your chance to have a say in its future! Please make sure you vote.

If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact us. Greg’s e-mail is greg.price@ctc.org.uk and his telephone number is 07986 217852 . Helen’s e-mail is helen.vecht@ctc.org.uk

Kind regards

Greg Price and Helen Vecht

CTC Councillors for Greater London

Author: Jeff

DA Winners

Author: Pete

DA Barn Dance

The Annual DA Buffet Barn Dance was held at the Community Hall Banstead on Saturday 20th Feb. Over 70 people enjoyed an evening of energetic dancing to the music provided by The Stockbrokers Belt. The food was very good with a varied choice to suit all. The gleaming collection of DA trophies was presented to various recipients for Photographic, attendance & mileage competitions held over the previous year. thanks must go to Simon, Jen & Jake for organising such a memorable occasion which attracted a lot of new faces from previous years.
From pete M

Author: Pete

2 Comments:

mike morley 21 February 2010 at 21:07 GMT

Pete, May I second your comments, had I have been a little quicker on my feet (and in the brain) I would have stood up and thanked Simon, Jen & Jake yet again for doing a splendid job organising a succesful event.
Thanks also go to Nigel Taylor/Evans Cycles for their generous auction contribution.

Pete 22 February 2010 at 12:48 GMT

Ken Preece called in at the Barn Dance and seemed in good spirits even talking about getting back on the bike for very short trips maybe Nonsuch Park in the near future.
from Pete M

Ripley Cycle Jumble

Author: Pete

DA 2008/2009 Photo Competition

Only just noticed last Fridays blog, I was hoping this would be a surprise at the Barn Dance! Congratulations to all my fellow winners and runners-up. It just goes to show it's the subject matter itself that counts, brilliant photo's by all. If I can do it you can do it so lets have plenty more entries next year and best of luck. Don't forget qualifying period is 1st October to 31st September so even photo's taken over Christmas and New Year with all the snow can count for next years competition, even the Barn Dance I guess!

Author: mike morley

DA Competition

Runner Up - Comedy - by Pete Mitchell

Runner Up - Male - by Jeff Tollerman

Runner Up - Scenic - by Pete Mitchell

Runner Up - Female - by Colin Quemby

Author: Pete

DA Competition

First Place - Female - by Mike Morley

First Place - Male - by Simon Mitchell

First Place - Comedy - by Terry Lowe

First Place - Scenery - by Mark Gladwyn

Author: Pete