Hello everyone
We seem to have had an extended late summer which has suddenly turned into winter! However, it has been great to see strong numbers on all the rides. The turbo sessions have been particularly popular this year as have the new midweek 1* rides. The new Committee had its first meeting since the AGM and it was all very positive. Now there are two important things coming up for me to tell you about:
WANTAGE DICKENSIAN EVENING – FRIDAY 7th DECEMBER
This is a well established local event in Wantage Market Place, which we have supported for a few years now. Just to let you know, we have decided to take a break from it this year – there are a few key people away and we don’t feel that we have enough time to do it justice. However, we are planning to get organised earlier next year and make more of a splash then!
THE MINCE PIE RIDE – SUNDAY 9th DECEMBER
As always, it’s amazing how time flies – we are once again finalising the details of our big charity event – the famous (or occasionally infamous) Mince Pie Ride, in aid of Whizz Kidz, the children’s mobility charity. This is always a very popular event and we are publicising it widely around neighbouring cycling clubs. Normally we see 150 or so riders taking over the car park at White Horse Hill. We’d love to do the same this year. of course, we will gloss over the snow-induced wipe-out of last year’s event! See below for details:
Guests and other cycling clubs are very welcome to join us at Wantage Market Place at 9.45-10am for the start of the rides or join us at White Horse Hill NT car park (grid ref SU 293866) from 11.15 to 12.00 for mince pies and mulled wine. A cash collection will be taken and all proceeds on the day will go to Whizz Kidz.
We will have road rides at 1*, 2* and 3* grades and an off-road ride – see separate ride entries on our website (www.cyclingukwantage.org.uk) for route details. This is a very popular event, so please arrive in good time for registration. There will be a short briefing at 10 am. All of the rides will start shortly after that.
Afterwards the rides will hopefully continue to The Fox in Denchworth for a pub lunch (at 13:00). I am just waiting on final confirmation so watch this space for more details. There will also be a ride directly back to Wantage.
Please make a note in your diaries and feel free to pass this invitation on if you know other cyclists who may be interested.
One more point on this one – as in previous years we will be reliant on the Club members to provide donations of mince pies, mulled wine, standard red wine or cranberry & raspberry juice beforehand, so we can maximise the giving to Whizz Kidz. For those of you who are new, we brew up cauldrons of both alcoholic and non-alcoholic mulled wine, based on my wife Carin’s secret recipes, and serve it from ex-military insulated jerry cans – it is awesome! Please give this some thought in your cooking and/or shopping schedules and please deliver to:
Evergreen, Main Street
Grove Wantage
OX12 7JF
the porch is open!
I think that’s all for now. Happy cycling.
John Tranter
Chairman – Cycling UK Wantage
john@tranters.net
07826 238350
