New cycling club for S Birmingham, Worcestershire & Warwick

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robgul
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New cycling club for S Birmingham, Worcestershire & Warwick

Post by robgul »

The NEW Heart of England Cycling Club launches on 1 September 2015 - as a club affiliated to CTC - see the NEWS link on the website (see below) for some background about the formation of the new club.

All the details are at http://www.heartofenglandcyclingclub.org.uk : how to join, a members' forum and the comprehensive range of cycle rides - do browse the website.

Initially the website is deliberately very simple and functional whilst we complete the transition to the new club - we'll be adding photographs etc in due course - the objective being to support and promote what is going to be a vibrant and sustainable cycling club.

Rob
E2E http://www.cycle-endtoend.org.uk
HoECC http://www.heartofenglandcyclingclub.org.uk
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Re: New cycling club for S Birmingham, Worcestershire & Warw

Post by PH »

Best of luck with the new venture, I'll follow it with interest.
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Si
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Re: New cycling club for S Birmingham, Worcestershire & Warw

Post by Si »

Are you still doing Meriden? And if so, does being an Affiliate make it any easier or harder to organise?
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Re: New cycling club for S Birmingham, Worcestershire & Warw

Post by robgul »

Si wrote:Are you still doing Meriden? And if so, does being an Affiliate make it any easier or harder to organise?


Yes the Meriden Audax rides will continue - they are, of course, organised by an individual under AudaxUK and not by CTC HoE - CTC HoE members have provided help - thus whether an MG or AG makes no difference - I have also replied to you directly.

Rob
E2E http://www.cycle-endtoend.org.uk
HoECC http://www.heartofenglandcyclingclub.org.uk
Cytech accredited mechanic . . . and woodworker
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robgul
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Re: New cycling club for S Birmingham, Worcestershire & Warw

Post by robgul »

Looks like the CTC HQ ex-communication process has been put into gear - CTC Heart of England has disappeared from the MG list in the Oct/Nov Cycle mag that arrived today.

The CTC HoE website will be redirecting to www.heartofenglandcyclingclub.org.uk from the end of Wednesday 30 September 2015.

Rob
E2E http://www.cycle-endtoend.org.uk
HoECC http://www.heartofenglandcyclingclub.org.uk
Cytech accredited mechanic . . . and woodworker
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robgul
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Re: New cycling club for S Birmingham, Worcestershire & Warw

Post by robgul »

We've already passed the 50 mark for members in just 9 days from the real launch when CTC HoE was dissolved .... and that includes quite a large percentage that are new to us (i.e. not ex CTC HoE regulars) - more members welcome

Rob
E2E http://www.cycle-endtoend.org.uk
HoECC http://www.heartofenglandcyclingclub.org.uk
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Bill Reynolds
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Re: New cycling club for S Birmingham, Worcestershire & Warw

Post by Bill Reynolds »

I have just joined the this local section and payed my one pound via PayPal. Can someone tell me what happens now??
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Re: New cycling club for S Birmingham, Worcestershire & Warw

Post by robgul »

The use of the words "local section" are somewhat unfortunate in terms of historical CTC parlance

.... Heart of England Cycling Club* is just that - a (new, from September 2015) cycling club - the relationship with CTC is no more than that it is an "affiliate club" with the sole purpose of obtaining third-party insurance for the club's ride leaders.

HoECC members are not required to be CTC members but must have their own third-party insurance - although many are (at present) individual CTC members, either Full or Affiliate (most household insurance policies include TP insurance :wink: )

"What happens now?" you ask - well, as you've joined online you will have seen the website and the schedule of rides that we have each week (2 every Wednesday, 1 every Saturday and various Sundays - as well as other ad hoc events and club holiday tours) You are able to cycle with any of these rides and take part in other club activities - I'm sure you will be made welcome.

Rob
Vice-Chairman & Webmaster

* Heart of England Cycling Club is the successor to CTC Heart of England Member Group which was dissolved in September 2015 for the reasons that are well-documented in discussion on this Forum and elsewhere. http://www.heartofenglandcyclingclub.org.uk
E2E http://www.cycle-endtoend.org.uk
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Si
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Re: New cycling club for S Birmingham, Worcestershire & Warw

Post by Si »

mmmm, just noticed this:

JOIN NOW! Membership is open to all (over 18s only)


Does that mean that 18 or under can't become paid up members but can still ride with you if, say, their parents are there and are members? Or is it a total exclusion of children?
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Re: New cycling club for S Birmingham, Worcestershire & Warw

Post by robgul »

Si wrote:mmmm, just noticed this:

JOIN NOW! Membership is open to all (over 18s only)


Does that mean that 18 or under can't become paid up members but can still ride with you if, say, their parents are there and are members? Or is it a total exclusion of children?


The Founding Committee decided that membership (and by default riding) would ONLY be for over 18s.

The reasoning was that : a) we can't remember the last time an under-18 rode with the previous group (CTC HoE MG); b) the need for paper-work, parental approval etc; c) not having to go through all the "welfare officer" stuff and record checking.

In other words we're escaping from the CTC-type bureaucracy that was part of the reasoning to form the new club and dissolve the CTC HoE MG.

So far there has been no issue with this policy with 60+ paid-up members, all of whom have their own TP insurance.

We aren't to get into an argument or discussion here and will make no further comment - that's where we are!

Rob
Vice-Chairman and Webmaster, HoECC
E2E http://www.cycle-endtoend.org.uk
HoECC http://www.heartofenglandcyclingclub.org.uk
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mjr
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Re: New cycling club for S Birmingham, Worcestershire & Warw

Post by mjr »

robgul wrote:The Founding Committee decided that membership (and by default riding) would ONLY be for over 18s.

So the new club is ageist?

We aren't to get into an argument or discussion here and will make no further comment - that's where we are!

Fair enough: so, does anyone know what view CTC HQ takes of affiliate groups that discriminate?
MJR, mostly pedalling 3-speed roadsters. KL+West Norfolk BUG incl social easy rides http://www.klwnbug.co.uk
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Si
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Re: New cycling club for S Birmingham, Worcestershire & Warw

Post by Si »

Fair enough: so, does anyone know what view CTC HQ takes of affiliate groups that discriminate?


I believe that they are left to their own devices if they are not breaking the law...as evidenced by affiliates with mandatory h***** rules.
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Si
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Re: New cycling club for S Birmingham, Worcestershire & Warw

Post by Si »

The Founding Committee decided that membership (and by default riding) would ONLY be for over 18s.


Don't worry Rob, I'm not having a go at you.

Rather I think that it demonstrates well the change in the CTC. Rob's group is a club of like-minded individuals who just want to enjoy cycling together - nothing wrong at all in that. Traditionally (if you apply enough rose-tinting to your glasses) the CTC has been similar. But the focus has moved from the traditional inward looking approach of serving the current members first and foremost, to an outward looking approach of serving cycling as a whole, and thus serving the members a couple of steps further on.

The problem with banning kids these days though is that there is a good chance that you are signing your club's death warrant. It'll thrive for a while but where will the new members come from in the future. Previously the CTC has gained a lot of adult members because there wasn't much else on offer apart from racing, MTB, etc clubs. Now there is starting to be a lot more choice, and I would suggest that people will be more likely to stick with the clubs that they grew up in, or go to the clubs that allow them to bring the kids. Problem is that you can't just put a notice on the website saying: "Kids welcome" and expect families to turn up. You have to go out and work to find them....and many members just want to be riding their bikes with their mates rather than doing promo work to get a wider audience into the club.

But if you do the work it can happen, an affiliate near me that started with early Saturday morning chain gang rides now has a thriving family section. And I'm just off to finish organising a Ditch The Stabilisers session for the Easter hols - something that the people who run get just as much out of as they do the weekly group rides.

Again, I repeat - this isn't criticism of Rob: his club, he's done the hard work to put it together so he gets to say what the rules are.
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Re: New cycling club for S Birmingham, Worcestershire & Warw

Post by robgul »

Si wrote:
The Founding Committee decided that membership (and by default riding) would ONLY be for over 18s.


>> snip

Again, I repeat - this isn't criticism of Rob: his club, he's done the hard work to put it together so he gets to say what the rules are.


I said we wouldn't comment further BUT I should point out that the new HoECC formation wasn't just me - it was a joint effort by 5 like-minded people (I just happen to be the biggest, but not the oldest :D )

Rob
E2E http://www.cycle-endtoend.org.uk
HoECC http://www.heartofenglandcyclingclub.org.uk
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Re: New cycling club for S Birmingham, Worcestershire & Warw

Post by PH »

robgul wrote:
The reasoning was that : a) we can't remember the last time an under-18 rode with the previous group (CTC HoE MG); b) the need for paper-work, parental approval etc; c) not having to go through all the "welfare officer" stuff and record checking.

As Si says your club your rules - But the requirements to have under 18s ride with you don't include much of the above, it was covered in the recent Ride Leader Workshops. Si's question about under 18's riding with parents requires nothing at all. Under 12s have to be accompanied, over 12s have to have a consent form, there’s no welfare officer stuff, whatever that means.
It’s different rules if you’re organising specifically for juniors or offering training or coaching.
My local MG has had a few under 18s over the last decade, not a huge number, we’d like to do better, but it would have been a shame to have excluded them.
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