Spokes Social Ride Survey 2024-2025

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Hi, hope you are all well and looking forward to getting back on your (outside) bike? Unless you are braver than me and have been cycling through the winter! We will be putting the Spokes ride schedule together shortly, a little later than usual but the first ride will be on Saturday 1st March. In the meantime, if you could complete the questionnaire at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/FV8375L that would be much appreciated. Given we seem to have our “sweet spot” for rides at about 30 miles, and on Saturdays we are trying to determine why numbers have dropped off further last year. However, if you want to comment on day and distance please email us at events@westberkshirespokes.org. Or indeed if you want to say more on why you did not ride, please email reasons and what we can do better this year!

See you 1st March 🙂

The ride schedule will be found at www.letsride.co.uk in the next few weeks. We also communicate about rides on Spond, please use https://group.spond.com/JRIWU to join us there.

Cycle Festival – Saturday 14th June 2025

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Planning steams ahead for the cycling festival next year. There is going to be an array of activities on the day for people to take part in, as well as (we hope) various displays, stalls, local food and more. One of the main events is a cycle parade through Newbury and we would really like to get as many Spokes people involved in this along with their family and friends. So please pencil that date in. It would be great to have Spokes members out in force.

We’ll publish more details over coming months, and assuming success then there’s a good chance it will become an annual event. If you would to be involved in the planning of the event, then please contact us.

And, to note, as its Newbury Road Club’s (NRC’s) 100th anniversary they are organising other events during the year which you may be interested in, please see: https://www.newburyroadclub.co.uk/ for more details.

Couch to 50k

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Planning continues across Spokes, NRC and Velo for the support programme to help people (18+) get back into or start cycling again. With support and encouragement to get them to a place where they can join in with any of the cycling groups regular rides, or just have more confidence and skills to cycle on their own.

We aim to have the programme ready early next year, but if you are interested or know someone who would benefit from such a programme (e.g. a non-cycling partner or friend) then please let me, William, know (email: events@westberkshirespokes.org)

Spokes Christmas 2024

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Earlier this month we had our Spokes Christmas meal, which is open to all members. Unfortunately we had several last minute cancellations, so they were missed along with all those not able to attend for other reasons. The Hare and Hounds Newbury was the venue for the event, and it was a great evening, although my wife (non-cyclist) hinted she may not come along next year… although I am sure we did talk about more than cycling!

I enjoyed my menu choices, although we did feel for Rob, whose vegetarian portions for the main meal and (cheese) dessert seemed a little mean. We had a little “fun” paying the bill at the end… the process in the Newbury last year seemed a lot smoother. Glad, this year, I remembered to get a photo of the group.

Merry Christmas to you all, safe cycling, and hope to see you in 2025.

Spokes’ Annual General Meeting (AGM)

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In accordance with our constitution, the annual general meeting (AGM) of West Berkshire Spokes will take place at 3pm on Sunday, 9th June 2024 at Newbury Canoe Club, The Wharf, Newbury, RG14 5DF.

All members are invited to attend the AGM. Below are links to the AGM papers:

If you have any items you wish to add to the agenda, then please get in touch by emailing info@westberkshirespokes.org. All committee posts are up for re-election. There are several outstanding vacancies, including vice chair, highways officer and publicity officer.  If you are interested in any of the posts, then please notify the Committee by emailing info@westberkshirespokes.org .

If you would like an informal chat in advance of the AGM, then feel free to get in touch with any of the committee (via the contact page).