ANNUAL REPORT 1993/4

Membership numbers have increased this year with more people staying out all day.  All the cycling events went well and the few social events were well supported.

The Sunday Attendance Competition, which gives a maximum of four points each Sunday, was won by David Pinkess with 168 points;  2nd was Helen Pinkess with 166 points and Marguerite Statham was 3rd with 159 points.

THE GROUPS

WOKING WAYFARERS     Report from David Nightingale

We have had between two and twenty people out and and averaged (to the nearest person) ten.  This year we have tried some new coffee stops, eg Parkside Cafe, Hampton Hill, and some new lunch stops.  We have also seen a steady flow of new riders, and some guest appearances from some irregular regulars!  Thanks to Harry and Les for their assistance.

CRANLEIGH WAYFARERS     Report from Keith Parfitt

These rides start at Cranleigh Cricket Ground and are at present morning only rides, once a month, but this might change in the future.  From June the numbers increased.  On August 26th the ride was promoted to the front page of the "Surrey Advertiser" (Cranleigh section) title "Join the Tour de Cranleigh".

GUILDFORD AND GODALMING WAYFARERS     Report from Helen Juden

The Guildford and Godalming group has arranged two or three rides a month since January 1994.  Initially the Whittle family led a monthly ride from Guildford and the Judens did the same from Godalming.

From the start our publicity attracted other riders;  numbers have ranged from 4 to 19 with an average of about 11, not including an exceptional attendance of 34 on our National Bike Week ride in June.  We are grateful to Claudia Whittle for arranging editorial coverage of this and most of our other rides in local newspapers.  While the press has probably been the most effective, other publicity has been achieved by posters and leaflets at Newlands Corner, libraries, council offices and other outlets.

Our format has been easy-paced all day Sunday rides of 30-40 miles.  We always meet at the same time and at the two starts alternately.  We give every ride a name and try to visit a place of interest each time.  We have attracted and retained many new riders, the majority of whom stay out all day.

As riders get keen and fit they want to do more and go further, so we have encouraged them to be aware of other DA activities and try the Intermediate group.  To this end we have arranged to meet up with other DA groups, during the course of our rides, whenever possible.  Recently we have established contacts with the Farnham group.

We look forward, next year, to an increasingly varied programme as new people come forward to lead rides, and we may wish to increase the frequency of the rides and introduce other activities such as weekend trips.

INTERMEDIATES     Report from Bob Crosby

The Intermediates had a successful year with new members joining and coming out on a regular basis.  The first four places in the Attendance Competition were taken by Intermediates with David Pinkess being the winner.  Congratulations to David.  The policy of organising a different ride leader every week has proved popular.

The statistics for the year are as follows:

The Intermediates are a happy and helpful group.  In particular that staunch Intermediate Ken Bolingbroke not only organised the 75 and 100 events plus the Tricyclathon for the club, but he also provided the photographic display at Wheelers Rest, gave a slide show at a coffee evening, was the host of the splendid "Ken and Maurice Christmas Concert" and led an excellent and unusual ride to the London Docklands area.

HARDRIDERS     Report from Roger Philo

The Hardriders remain primarily a winter group, with an average attendance of 8.6 for the months Nov.-Feb. compared to 5.5 for the rest of the year excluding our own DA events.  This is because from March to October many members of the group are elsewhere:  on Audax rides, DATC events, training camps, touring holidays etc.  In fact severe weather doesn't seem to affect the numbers on these rides much.  Two days stand out for bad weather last year:  on November 21st, when it snowed, Hardriders attendance was 8 (down only 0.6 from the winter average), on December 12th when it rained heavily all day attendance was 5.  The geographical spread of the rides has been from Brighton to Wendover and Limpsfield Chart to Littlehampton.

JUNIORS     Report from Claire Bright

Our children are aged from 11 to 16 and we meet once or twice a month for a Saturday morning ride, covering some 15 to 20 miles.  The routes chosen encompass both on and off road rides, which allows the children the thrill of rough riding along bridleways, woods and paths, together with the valuable experience of learning to cope with traffic.  We do need more adult support as well as some more Juniors.  I would like to thank the parents who have helped and in particular Keith and Kath Parfitt for their continued enthusiasm.

MOUNTAIN BIKE RIDES

Geoff Taylor led a few, sometimes very muddy, enjoyable rides.  However due to lack of support, Geoff will not be continuing with these rides.

MIDWEEK WAYFARERS     Report from Marguerite Statham

We have had a total of 44 different people out over the year with an average of 12.9 staying out for lunch each week.  The Group rides out to coffee together and then splits into two with one group going slightly further for lunch with a longer ride in the afternoon sometimes with a tea stop.  We have had several train/car assisted rides and a trip to South Harting to see the Tour en Angleterre.  One Attendance point is given at coffee and this year's trophy winner is Roy Richardson with 48 points;  2nd is Harry Statham with 46 points;  3rd is Marguerite Statham and Colin Francksen with 45 points and 5th is our DA President, George Alesbury, with 44 points.  Thankyou to everyone who has led a ride.

THURSDAY EVENING RIDES -

- TO A LOCAL PUB     Report from Chris Jeggo

There have been two rides per month throughout the year.  Attendances (first ten) were as follows:

Average attendance for the 26 runs was 5.

Seventeen different pubs have been visited, most of them being good.  The Jolly Farmer at Whitmoor Common, Worplesdon has been visited four times, and The Cricketers at Burrow Hill, Chobham three times.

- FROM CTC HQ, MEADROW, GODALMING     Report from Martin Taplin

A well established feature of the Godalming scene is the Thursday evening rides from CTC.  We meet at 7.15pm for a prompt start at 7.30.  A dedicated group of 3 or 4 commence activities just after Easter.  Numbers increase up to 8 or 10 by June/July often with a 'peak' during National Bike Week.  The rides continue into the dark evenings of September/October until we get too cold, too wet or both!  Rides are at an easy pace, generally of 20 to 30 miles using quiet lanes and bridleways mostly within a southerly arc extending from Shere in the east, through Cranleigh, Dunsfold, Chiddingfold and Thursley to Seale in the west.  The rides always conclude at one of a number of country pubs within a convenient distance of a return to Godalming by 10pm/10.30pm.  We welcome new members.  The CTC HQ car park provides convenient parking for car assisted cyclists.

BENSTEAD CUP

The rules approved by the committee for this year unfortunately pose riders a choice between maximum Benstead Cup points from marshalling at least one event and a gold DA medal for riding all 7 events.  No riders have completed all 7 events so no gold medals will be awarded this year and a rule change will be considered for next year.  Apologies for this unintended effect are offered to David and Helen Pinkess who rode 6 events and marshalled a 7th.

RESULTS

1st overall is Clive Richardson with 434.0 points
2nd overall is David Pinkess with 393.3 points

1st Veteran is Eric Parr with 319.8 points

1st Junior is Matthew Juden with 57.4 points

LADIES BENSTEAD SHIELD

1st   Helen Pinkess with 386.5 points
2nd  Gill Norris with 296.4 points

BENSTEAD CUP RIDES

DA BADGES     Gold for 7 events;  Silver for 5 events;  Bronze for 3 events

SILVER awarded to Clive Richardson, David and Helen Pinkess, Eric Parr, Phil Hampton.

BRONZE awarded to Roger Philo, Peter and Gill Norris, Harold Coleman, Roger Powell, Chris Avery, Ian Parker, Chris Jeggo.

WOODEN CRANK

Won by   ?   because   ?.    To be announced at the DA Annual Dinner.

DATC     District Associations Tourist Competition

Positions as at 31st August 1994:

1st  Kim Suffolk of Leicestershire with 108 points after 10 events
2nd  Roger Philo of West Surrey with 107 points after 10 events

DA TEAMS  (six riders)    1st  West Surrey with 605 points.

SOCIAL EVENTS AND TOURS

Coffee evenings held during the winter months - about 8 each time
Christmas Day at Bob and Isobel's   10 people
The Ken and Maurice Christmas Concert with guest appearances from Chris Jeggo on Piano and Michael Jeggo on Trombone   15 people
Annual Dinner in November '93 at the YMCA in Guildford   50 people

Home Counties Rally near Reading   10
Ladies weekend in June at Kingham in the Cotswolds   12
York Rally   6
Woking Bikeathon   3 Juniors

Congratulations to Ian and Maureen Parker who were married in June '94.

MAGAZINE

Ed has been a little pre-occupied with other important matters this year which goes some way to explain the late arrival of the last three issues.  Ed apologises for any inconvenience - normal service will be resumed ASAP.  Ed would like to thank all those who have contributed to the mag.  Articles may be submitted whenever ideas occur.  Thank you.

PUBLICITY     (Keith Parfitt)

1. Production of posters white and coloured
2. Noticeboards at Wheelers Rest, Ripley and the Barn Cafe at Newlands Corner
3. Information on the rides in the Surrey Advertiser, Woking Review, Woking News and Mail, and the Surrey Environment News (April-Sept 94)
4. Manned stands at other organisations' events eg The Charity Lighthouse Ride and Godalming Lions Pepperpot Fun Run

CRN     Campaigning for Rights Network

THE FARNHAM GROUP     Report from Anne Neale

This group was formed four years ago by a group of concerned local people and became affiliated to the CTC.  The group proposed and campaigned for an off-road cycle route around the centre of Farnham.  It will be built in the foreseeable future.  We have also campaigned for the continued and improved carriage of cycles on trains.  We have CTC stands at events in Farnham and organise local rides.  We have a series of local 25 mile routes centered on Farnham which we will publish soon.  For the past three years we have run events during National Bike Week.  We are a small group and urgently need new blood.  It is amazing how effective an active pressure group can be.  This is a traditional and excellent cycling area where some of the Club's best tourist riders live.  Yet it also has many ordinary commuter cyclists who face awful road conditions.  The DA needs to address this problem if the Club is to truly represent its members.

GUILDFORD AND GODALMING also have active CRN groups and WOKING formed a group on Sept. 15th '94 at its inaugural meeting at Roy Benson's.

THE CHANNEL TUNNEL

CTC is busy negotiating for easier access for bicycles both on the London Paris Brussels Eurostar from Waterloo and the shuttle service from Folkestone to Calais.

THE SOUTH EAST CYCLING FORUM     (Information from Keith Parfitt)

This newly formed group has now appointed Mark Adams as its Cycling Development Officer.

Surrey County Council organised eleven road safety forums between March 22nd and June 14th '94.  The forums were aiming to 1) review the casualty reduction plan for each district, 2) consider what casualty reductions have been achieved in the previous 12 months, 3) seek public comment, suggestions and participation.

I now realise how little I know about cycling and I would like to thank everyone who has helped me through my year as Secretary.  I do feel that the DA has had a good and successful year and is poised for an even better one in 1994/5.

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