Updated Weather Warning Guidance to include Heat Health Alerts

From Sue F

 Hello everyone, 

Given the extreme temperatures we are experiencing this summer the Committee have updated the weather guidance to include a few words about Heat Health Alerts. Please be assured that this guidance refers to club rides only. 

Weather warning guidance

With the increasing occurrence of Met Office bad weather warnings and Heat Health Alerts (from UK Health Security Agency), Ride Leaders should pay particular attention to these warnings. Please consider very carefully before taking a group out in severe weather that may include riders who are not confident cycling in strong windy conditions for example. Always check the weather forecast in the days before a ride and assess whether or not the ride should go ahead.

For the avoidance of doubt, Ride Leaders should cancel a ride if a Met Office RED or AMBER warning is in force or will come into force during a ride. Where a YELLOW warning is forecast, Ride Leaders should update their risk assessment before the ride to assess whether it is safe for the ride to go ahead as planned, or with suitable modifications to the route to mitigate risk, or cancelled.

If there is a Heat Health Alert in force during a planned ride, the Ride Leader should draw attention to this beforehand so that riders with health issues that may be affected by extreme heat, can consider whether or not to join the ride and for those taking part in the ride, to come prepared.

And remember - do not feel pressured into leading a ride in weather that you are at all concerned about.

If you have any questions please do let me know.

Sue Foster

sue.foster39@gmail.com

Invitation to the All Day Saturday ride, 8th August

 From Madeleine

All-day Saturday ride, 8th August.

Come and join for a day of rivers, parks, commons, back roads and paths.

It will be a fairly leisurely and pretty ride, generally fairly flat.

Great for people who like green rides with lots of off road,  and don’t mind a bit of stop-start, some bumpy bits and the occasional need to get off and walk!

Full ride: 36 miles. Plenty of public transport options along the way to come back by tube and train…

Start: Nonsuch Park, Mansion House cafe

Food: coffee in the Ship at Wandsworth (11 miles), lunch in Holland Park cafe (20 miles - sandwiches plus*), tea at the Windmill cafe on Wimbledon common (27 miles).

Bring: a bike bell, anti histamines, snacks, lots of water and possibly rain gear…

Please note: to avoid queues and disappointment at lunch time, you may want to bring a picnic...

Please contact Madeleine Shearer on WhatsApp 07533673919 if you’d like to join the ride. 

There may be a possibility of starting the ride at Beddington. Please say if that is a good option for you.

Nonsuch to Wimbledon Park 25 July

Report by Stuart

A good turnout of riders at The Mansion House in Nonsuch Park today, despite the hot conditions.  

After a group set off for Teddington, I led a group of eight to Wimbledon Park. Not too quick in view of the heat. 

A slightly different route for some of the riders.  After going under the A3 on South Lane, we made our way to a cycle path that runs alongside the railway from New Malden all the way to Raynes Park. It's a lovely path that I now use frequently when going to Richmond Park, that I discovered on an exploratory ride.  From Raynes Park, we pick up the usual route up Durham Road to Wimbledon Village and on to Wimbledon Park.  

At the stop, some had coffee, others had ice cream.  Lots of goodies available to eat - not like the ride I led last week to The Clubhouse in Putney where there were NO CAKES! (but  lovely coffee). Nigel regaled me with his LEJOG ride in 2009!  Amazing!   Back via Tibbett's Corner, into Richmond Park via Roehampton Gate, we saw a lovely bevy of Deer, (https://deerknowledge.com/what-do-you-call-a-group-of-deer/).  Then Kingston, Berrylands and Worcester Park.  

I clocked about 23 miles to and from The Mansion House,  With thanks to my fellow riders, Dee, Jackie, Karen, Nigel, Steve, Wendy and Yasmine.