“It is with great sadness that we hear of the passing of Alan Stuart. Alan died on the 16th April at the Royal Berks Hospital after surgery for bowel cancer. Although the operation was successful, his health deteriorated and his heart finally gave up.
I was privileged to have know and worked alongside Alan over the past few years. I knew him through the West Berkshire Cycle Forum. As well as being a member of the forum, Alan was also the “Right To Ride” officer for the Reading branch of the CTC. Right to the end Alan was a passionate and enthusiastic campaigner for cycling.
My personal lasting memory of Alan will be a private conversation I had with him a few weeks before his passing, when he told me a story about his youth. Alan was living somewhere in South London during the 2nd World War – I guess he would have been in his mid teens.
Alan told me how he and his friends would cycle out to a velodrome somewhere in that area. When the German bombers would pass overhead, Alan and his friends would find a hedge to hide behind whilst the bombs were dropping. When they thought the danger had gone they got back on their bikes and continued their ride.
Alan’s passing is a great loss to the world of cycling and he will be greatly missed by all that knew him.”
Get your bike ready for Spring – Spokes are doing FREE bikes checks and minor repairs at Newbury Farmers Market this Sunday between 9am and 1pm.