Election of the three CUK specified roles of Chair, Treasurer and Hon Sec.

 This post responds to the following motion agreed at the 2023-24 AGM.

" 7.4) Motion to revise the process for electing Chair, Treasurer and Hon Sec at the AGM

Regarding the current process for the formal election of the CUK specified roles of Chair, Treasurer and Hon Sec at the AGM, at present any club member can seek nomination and seconding at the AGM without any advanced notice to other members. It is hereby proposed that in future, these roles should be advertised in advance of the AGM (including where existing officers are prepared to stand for re-election) with a suitable deadline for applications before the AGM.

Any new applicant will be required to be nominated and seconded by two unrelated (to the applicant or each other) club members. Existing officers advertised to be standing for re-election will be deemed to be nominated and seconded if there are no further applicants for that role by the deadline, but must still be subject to a re-election vote at the AGM.

This change in process will ensure all Members have a more inclusive opportunity to apply for or influence the Committee composition. This process was followed this year (2024) in relation to the appointment of the new Chair.

Proposed: Dave Cullen

Seconded: Pam Jones

Approved unanimously."

Therefore, on behalf of your committee, we confirm that all the current holders of the three CUK specified roles of Chair, Treasurer and Hon Sec have agreed to stand for re-election at the 2024-25 AGM. However, applications are hereby formally invited from any other Members wishing to stand for any of those roles. 

Please apply in writing including the names of your proposer and seconder to the club chair Sue Foster. The deadline for applications is 18: 00 on Wednesday 16 April 2025.

Last 1pm ride is this Saturday March 29th

 From Saturday April 5th all the beginners rides will be at 2pm from Nonsuch and Beddington Parks.

Wandering down the Wandle; Nonsuch short ride 22 March

By Roger

 Wandering down the Wandle

It had been a short ride, about fifteen miles in good company and good weather, but I was tired now as we slowed down to turn out of Upper Mulgrave Road heading for the lights at the mouth of the tunnel under the railway line at Cheam. Only Anna, Roger, Kristen and Paul (B) were left from the nine of us who had set out to ride the Wandle trail.

We rolled to a halt just as the lights changed and a millisecond memory flashed into my mind, of a young widow running into the tunnel, toddler in arms, as a V1 gasped its last overhead, before detonated in what is now Cheam Park.

 Switching to the present, it was “green” for us now as we slipped into the tunnel and up the other side into the High Street then left round the back of the shops to Anne Boleyn’s Walk and the crossing opposite Cheam Park. We said our “goodbyes” and made our way back to Sutton.

We had met Maggie and Paul (J), Jacqui, Sharon, Kristen, and Paul B (of the electric bike) as well as newcomer Philip at the Mansion.  It was a lovely day for a ride as we left the park and crossed Cheam high street and then the A217 before zooming down Quarry Park Road. At James Road we turned left and sailed down the hill, until we heard the roar from the Sutton United ground and realised, we had overshot our turning and had to retrace our steps to Robin Hood Lane. Then through to Collingwood and the right turn into Bushey Road and the rear of the bus garage.

We made our way onto The Green, crossing Stayton Road before taking a path that led us to a turning opposite All Saints Church and over the lights onto All Saints Road before turning down Woodend and climbing up Aultone way and onto Rosehill Park.

It was an easy ride down Robertsbridge and ultimately to Poulter Park and the track onto the Wandle trail.

Roger told us it was the Wandle Trail!

The Wandle flowed like silk with no visible sign of the diesel spillage that had polluted it a few weeks previously. There was an absence of wildlife though and thank goodness, the hunting packs of midges were absent too.

We continued on the trail to Hackbridge emerging at River Gardens and passing Wilderness Island and on up to the cycle path that leads into Carshalton Park.

The staff at “Spilt Milk” reorganised tables to seat us all and we were glad of a coffee and a sugar fix from their cake election.

Sharon and Philip left us there, as Anna now led us up through to Wales Avenue, where Jacqui left us and Maggie and Paul split off at Kings Lane to deliver a Get Well card to Nigel.  We continued through the roadworks infecting most of the surrounding roads ending up on Grange Road and onto Cornwall Road and the gentle rise up and along Mulgrave Road, to turn right at the end, under the railway line to the High Street. finishing at Anne Bolyn’s Walk.

The ride over, I relaxed, and I replayed in my head, a conversation with a stranger in our street, many years ago. He said he was born lucky, as in 1940 he had been left in the front garden of the house opposite ours when the bomb hit the house behind theirs and he was recovered unhurt from the remains of his pram.  The bomb had destroyed three houses and badly damaged the one I was to buy sixty years later.  It was the same child who eighteen months later was swept up by his mum as she ran to shelter under the railway line in Cheam. They say that walls have ears – I wonder if they can tell stories too.

All Day ride 12th April to Charlwood

 All Day Ride to Charlwood

Saturday 12th April

The first All Day Ride of 2025 is a 45 mile route to Charlwood and back.

After an uphill climb to coffee at Walton-on-the-Hill, the ride is pleasant and varied with some hills to keep us on our toes.

We will meet by Nonsuch Park Mansion cafe from 9.30 for a prompt 10 o’clock start, as it’s a long day.  

Lunch will be at the Half Moon Pub in Charlwood.

Expected return time of 6pm to Nonsuch.

Text us on 07919086769 or email at anne.connaughton@outlook.com if you would like to come on the ride.

Anne and John

Hot and Cold; Beddington Park 1-o-clockers to Elmers End 15 March

It was a beautiful sunny Spring day, but by heck that North wind cut through you.  I was not going to repeat Wednesday's mistake of going out with fingerless gloves!

Roger has a terrible cold and everyone else thought the cold was terrible so it was just Anna, Ken, Maggie and me and we went to Elmers End, Branching Out there one of the very few places on the planet where Anna recommends the coffee, and a reasonable ride of a bit more than 25km.

For such a small group we had a bit of trouble getting through the lights in Croydon but the trip through the parks and along long-disused railway lines was pleasant except that by the time we had reached Elmers End we were in need of Elmo's Fire.  So much so I had a hot sausage roll instead of cake and Anna had a bowl of chicken soup.

Ice cold in Addiscombe

It was tempting not to leave the warmth of the cafe and we were initially pleased and interested when a bunch of cyclists turned up, all young and lean and other annoying adjectives.  It soon became clear, however, that they were far too lithe and cool to talk to the likes of us.  Maggie, 95Km on the London Ride recce and 105Km on Wednesday, but a bit upset at their arrogance, missed the opportunity to say "is that all?" when, in the only straight answer they gave us they said they had cycled to Shoreham and done 90Km.  They sat and gawped in silence as if we were aliens as we put on our unfashionable but warm layers and set off home. 

So we left without goodbyes and had a pretty decent ride home to the central heating.

Except we passed the place where my grandmother used to live.  A dark, old fashioned bungalow with thousands of books and a plum orchard out the back.  It's gone.  I don't mean somebody else lives there, that would be normal.  I don't mean they knocked down the house and built a posher, eco house.  That would be OK.  Even a block of flats.  I mean all trace of the neighbourhood, the street, everything, is obliterated.  A whole set of lives and stories gone, vanished.

Today's thought for the day.

Beginners AGM postponed

 The Beginners AGM planned for March 22nd has been postponed until Colin and Nigel are fit.

Roger and Anna will lead the short ride at 2pm on March 22nd along the Wandle trail. 

Colin Quemby

 Unfortunately Colin had an accident on his bike on Sunday and is an inpatient in the Royal Surrey hospital in Guildford.  He had a partial hip replacement on Monday and is now rehabilitating under the care of the physios and occupational therapists.  He is in good spirits and looking forward to going home as soon as possible. 

This Saturday,  March 15th, Tony Hooker will be at Nonsuch Park to lead the 2pm ride.

Sundae Split; Nonsuch 1-o-clockers 8 March

It was a day like we thought had gone forever, mild Spring sunshine and a decent number turned up at Nonsuch such that we agreed to ride to Richmond Park, the scheduled destination, in two groups.

So Steve W led off first with the group who fancied themselves as the quickies.  We had Tony H and Roger P recuperating from medical treatment and a couple of riders who had been up Swains Lane on Thursday but we caught them up anyway, twice, until we took our separate routes.

Roger, Anna, Tony, Ken, Maggie and I went at a modest pace through Worcester Park and New Malden to enter the park at Ladderstile Gate.

We managed to further split at the top of Warren Road when, after being delayed, the back marker took a slightly different route to that taken by the leader but we all met up again in time for the park.  The delay allowed the "fast" group to get to an overpopulated Colicci's at Roehampton Gate ten minutes ahead of us but the queues to be served were so long and the available space so circumscribed that we ended up mixing the two groups, which was really pleasant in the sunshine; our contribution to inclusivity.

Ken, Rob, Roger, Paul, Anna, Nav and Stuart integrating at Richmond Park.  Photo by Maggie.

Home down the A3 and through Raynes Park to Lower Morden.

A pleasant day out; thank you everybody. 

A short long one to L'assaggino and Balfe's; Nonsuch 1-o-clockers 1 March

With Nigel unwell (good luck with the treatment, Nigel) there was a need for cover at Nonsuch, but I had done nearly 100 Km on Friday including Swaine's Lane and was relieved when I saw Steve among the cyclists eager for a decent workout.  I guessed the scheduled Wimbledon Park ride would not be quite enough for him and sure enough he proposed Stoke d'Abernon, giving me the excuse to offer a shorter, gentler option for those who wanted it.

Most of the crowd went with Steve so Anna, Roger, Sue B, Maggie and I were free to choose our own route and we fancied a nice coffee, a shortish ride and we had not visited L'assaggino for a while so we settled on a run to Richmond Park.  Roger is getting fitter after his lay-off and did well on the climb up Traps Lane.  We used the Golf Club Drive and Warren Cutting for a pleasant change of route, the tea was good and the cakes delicious and everything was going tickety-boo until Anna announced that she had a puncture.  She rides a heavy electric bike and I was unsure how we might take off a rear wheel but modern electronics came to our aid, and google Maps and Bee Line guided us the shortest possible route to Balfe's in Kingston, who could not have been more helpful.

So we got home a bit later than we were planning, but it all ended alright.  And thanks especially to Sue, who fancied a longer ride and no cake but came along with us and then went on her own solo tour, enjoying the parks while we were twiddling our thumbs in a bike shop.

1st March - Short Ride to Malden Church (again!)

One would think my repertoire of short routes is very limited, as I think this was my 3rd consecutive time of leading to Malden Church - a route title which confuses people no end, as actually we have tea at Costa in World of Golf and only pass by the Church if someone in the group hasn't seen it yet.....surprisingly, there's always at least one!     

Anyway, on a cold but beautifully sunny March day, 7 riders gathered for the shorter ride, the longer ride having left already as they do in winter time. We followed the route at a steady pace, with just one deviation around St Joseph playing field to avoid any muddy puddles. It was such a nice day that we were able to sit outside for drinks and cakes. 

 

Once away from the traffic coming off the A3, the return home through the quiet backstreets of Old Malden and Stoneleigh was equally uneventful, with riders beginning to peel off as we neared Nonsuch Park. The spring flowers and early blossom were wonderful to see. Thanks all for coming out and making it a lovely social afternoon.