Category Archives: News

News

Club Annual ‘Do’, and our Youth Development Plan

Hello Exeter Wheelers C.C. member,

You could be forgiven for thinking that at present EWCC club communications are a bit like buses – first, just like Stagecoach services, none for ages, then, unlike Stagecoach, lots at once.

There are, however, a couple of items of club business that we felt it right to get info out on a.s.a.p.:

Firstly – we have a date and venue for the EWCC Annual Awards and Social Night. This will take place on Saturday evening, 7th of February, at The Cowick Barton, EX2 9HF. More details in due course, including info on how to book your place.

If you have a trophy that you won last year, then please could you get it back our president as soon as possible in order to get them all to the engravers in good time. Trophies should be left with president Greg at The Bike Shed at the top of Fore Street Hill in Exeter. Any issues, then simply reply to this email.

Secondly – the club needs your help in order to, hopefully, secure some funding, and get an important new club initiative up and running:

Exeter Wheelers C.C. Youth Development – getting off-road and en piste

The club is very pleased to have the involvement of new committee member Stuart Higgins, who is working alongside Diogo Pacheco to develop the youth side of the club, via off-road cycling.

It is sadly the case that at present we do not have a plethora of young riders in the club. Unlike Mid-Devon CC (Torbay-based) or Wheal Velocity ( Cornwall) we do not have the benefit of an affordable ‘velo park’ venue where cycling activities, including coaching, for youngsters can safely take place. 

The club were once able to run fortnightly race nights, including youth races, at Westpoint, but since the circuit has become privately owned hire rates have been increased beyond measure meaning we can only run a couple events a year there.

It is the case, however, that off-road cycling is buoyant, with a variety of events throughout the region, including the SWXC MTB cross country series and the SWCX cyclo-cross series, and plenty of youngsters taking part in those events.

With this in mind, Stuart has put together an internal Club Off-Road Development Plan, and has also completed a British Cycling Club Development proposal form and with others has been discussing all the above with Andrew Parker of British Cycling.   The latter, if we can tick all the boxes and deliver, will mean some funding can come our way to help everything along.

If club members could spare just a minute or two to take look through Stuart’s words via the link below, and make some comments, then that is exactly what we need in order to get things moving.

EWCC Youth Development Plan

Your help in this is greatly appreciated.

News

The club’s AGM – brief update

The club’s AGM duly took place last Monday, and it was a great relief that there were around a dozen extra attendees this year over and above committee members. This contrasts greatly with last year’s AGM, when we only had just one non-committee member attending. This demonstrates that there is a clear will for the club to continue, so we thank all of those who attended for showing their support. We are sure many others would’ve come along but it is realised that home, work and family place their demands on us all.

The full report from the meeting will be available up on the club’s website in due course, but meanwhile it was felt that members would like to know at least the gist of things….

In addition to those committee members who will continue serving the club, we should like to welcome the following to the committee, and give our sincere thanks to them for being willing to roll up their sleeves and give of their time and energy:

Dave Wilkinson for volunteering to take on the role of Club Secretary.

Morgan Centini for stepping forward as a new Membership Secretary.

Phil Harris and A.N. Other (TBC) for being willing to help Mike Rose on the CTT ‘Time Trials’ front. In the fullness of time Mike will be stepping down as the club’s Time Trial secretary, so we need to find a way to continue to run the events in his absence. More to follow on this subject over the coming months.

Stuart Higgins for proposing (and subsequently acting upon) a Development Plan for an Off-Road section of the club – this is something very welcome that we have been wanting to do for some time but had not the resources (person/people!) to pursue. Stuart’s proposal document is being sent to British Cycling SW officer Andy Parker. We will post a copy of it up on the website and let members know when we do so.

There is lots of work to be done on various fronts to ensure the club’s future, and we still need to find replacements for some officers needing to step down from the committee, but affairs are feeling less precarious than they were . . . we will keep you posted  . . . .