Spokes Needs Your Help

Posted on by Secretary

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Spokes is inviting all of its members to come and join us for this year’s AGM, which will take place at 12:30 on Sunday 21 June, at the outdoor seating area at the rear of The Hatchet in Market Place, Newbury.

It’s been a fantastic year for Spokes, with notable successes including:

  • Monthly pub meets at venues across West Berkshire
  • A successful programme of social bike rides
  • Cytech home mechanic training for our Dr Bike volunteers
  • A well-attended bike maintenance workshop at Ace Space
  • Bikeability training for adults and children
  • Provision of loan bikes to local kids from low income families
  • A screening of ‘Bicycle: The Film’ at The Corn Exchange
  • Representation on the Cycle Forum and Cycle Working Group
  • Undertaking the annual cycle counts

We have a really good core of active members who are keen to get involved on a wide range of tasks. However, with additional projects on the horizon, such as the potential opening up of sections of the disused Newbury to Didcot railway line, we desperately need more people to step up and get involved.

Every year at the AGM, we invite our members to nominate themselves to get involved in the Spokes committee. If you can spare just a couple of hours a month, then we would love to hear from you – no experience necessary.

If you would like to find out more, then please email Graham Hunt at secretary@westberkshirespokes.org.

Hungerford Big Wheel 2015

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The Hungerford Big Wheel has been a staple of the local charity ride calendar for a number of years. This year’s event will take place on Sunday 7th June.

There are three cycle routes: a 33 mile off-road for the more experience cyclists; a 26 mile family route; and a 12 mile route for those with younger children. The bike rides will start and finish at Hungerford Rugby Club at 10:30 am, with registration from 9:00 am onwards. The organisers would appreciate advance bookings where possible. Booking forms are available from www.hungerfordbigwheel.info.

There will be a BBQ available at the end of the ride. For those participating in the two longer routes, cake and refreshments will be available in Savernake Forest around the halfway mark.

The bike ride will once again support two charities, Noreen’s Kids and Swings & Smiles. An on-line donation page has been set up at http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com.

Please note that cycle helmets be worn by all participants.

Gearing Up for the Election

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Although West Berkshire Spokes is a politically neutral organisation, we thought that it would be interesting on the run up to Thursday’s election to have a look at what our local candidates and parties are promising with respect to cycling.

Our starting point was CTC’s ‘Vote Bike‘ website, which we used to ask each of our candidates to state how they would respond to the five core challenges of:

  • Ambition: Increasing levels of cycling to 10% of trips by 2025 and 25% by 2050.
  • Funding: Committing to an average government spend of at least £10 per person per year on cycling.
  • Design standards: Creating consistently high design standards for cycling in all highway and traffic schemes, new developments and planned road maintenance.
  • Safety: Measures to improve cycle safety by strengthening road traffic law and its enforcement and revising the Highway Code.
  • Positive promotion: Supporting positive promotion of cycling, including cycle skills training, for people of all ages, backgrounds and abilities.

At the time of writing, only Jonny Roberts, the Labour Candidate had responded, so we moved on to search the websites for each of the candidates and their local parties for what they have to say about cycling.  Here’s what we found:

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Candidates may well have views on cycling that have not been captured here, so if you would like to find our more, then we suggest that you contact your candidates directly.

Addendum: Since posting, we have been contacted by Peter Norman who says:

“I have been a strong proponent on cycling for many years and would point to our Sandleford campaign where I have pushed not just for dedicated cycle routes (as opposed to shared routes such as a long Monks Lane) but that these routes should be protected routes that prevent cars from parking in them (such as happens at the bottom of Andover Road).  Without these measures the bulk of the population will steer clear of cycling as the mode of choice for getting to and from work.  But rest assured whether at local or parliamentary level I will push cycling to the fore.”

Social Bike Rides and Charity Rides

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signpostFollowing on from the success of last year, Spokes has organised another programme of social bike rides on various Saturdays throughout the spring, summer and autumn of 2015. With distances ranging from 12 to 67 miles, there is something for everyone. All rides start and finish in West Mills, Newbury. Riders meet near the war memorial between Lloyd’s Bank and St Nicolas Church. To find out more and to book your place for any of the rides, please visit our page on the goskyride.com website. You can also download the full programme from our website, or pick up a leaflet from local bike shops or the visitor information centre in Newbury.

If that’s not enough or you, then why not sign up for one of the many local charity rides that are happening over the next couple of months across West Berkshire:

  • Purley Primary School are organising the Tour de Purley on 10 May to raise funds for the school. There are four routes of varying length from 1km for pupils and younger siblings to 30 miles for the more adventurous. Fur further information, see: www.tourdepurley.org.
  • The Black Hole Sportive takes place on 31 May and is raising money for  Newbury RFC U16’s to coach rugby to children in Brasilian favelas in August 2015 and host a grass rugby festival for them in Rio. There are 20 and 50 mile routes. For further information, please visit: http://velo-events.com/events-2/black-hole-sportive.
  • The Ring of Fire charity bike ride returns for its second year on 28 June. It is seeking to raise money for the Firefighter’s Charity and Camp Uganda. There are 10, 30 and 60 mile routes available and everyone who takes part will be entered into a prize draw. To find out more, go to: http://rofbikeride.weebly.com.

Spokes Presents – Bicycle, The Film

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Spokes has organised a FREE showing of the “Bicycle” film documentary at 8:30pm on Thursday 5 March 2015 at the Corn Exchange in Newbury.

“Bicycle” is a 90 minute documentary that asks the question: “why is cycling and the bicycle back in fashion?” The film, which is directed by BAFTA winning director and keen cyclist Michael B.Clifford tells the story of cycling in the land that invented the modern bicycle, it’s birth, decline and re-birth from Victorian origins to today.

The film weaves bicycle design, sport and transport through the retelling of some iconic stories and features interviews with Sir Dave Brailsford, Gary Fisher, Chris Boardman, Ned Boulting, Sir Chris Hoy, Tracy Moseley, Mike Burrows and many more, plus great archive, animation and music. “Bicycle” is a humorous, lyrical and warm reflection on the bicycle and cycling and its place in the British national psyche.

“At a time when the bicycle is back in fashion, it is great to see a film about this beautiful machine coming out.”
Chris Boardman MBE, Olympic Gold Medallist

Places are strictly limited (39 seats plus one wheelchair) – and MUST be booked in advance. To book your ticket, please use our contact us form to let us know the names of those who will be attending. Seats will be allocated on a first come, first served basis.  Entry will only be for those with their name on the list. Once full, a waiting list will be maintained, so please let us know if you can no longer attend. A confirmation reminder will be sent to those with reserved seats nearer the evening.

The Corn Exchange bar and refreshment facilities will be open – and for those who want to join us we will retire for a quick drink and further discussion after the film.We look forward to seeing you there!