Fab Foodie
hanging-on in quiet desperation ...
- Location
- Kirton, Devon.
I've put this in Cafe for the widest airing, but feel free to move ....
On Sunday, we held our 4th Abingdon Freewheeling' Annual Spring Rides Festival' this year under the guise of 'Freewheeling and Friends presents ...'
And bloody good it was too:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mfouracre/sets/72157633307552538/
OK, I have immense pride in what we have achieved and want to shout-out to other disparate cycling groups what a simple vision and some willing helpers can achieve.
We started in 2010 as a project and vision of a young lass called Emily. She (by chance) collected 5 disparate cycle-strangers into the unstoppable PeteB's kitchen and floated her idea for a Cycling Festival for the Town. She'd pretty much figured most of it and booked the Market place, now all she needed was help! There was us and a local bike shop (Good on ya - Behind Bars Abingdon) and we made it happen.
On the day we had around 100 people turn up that we took on rides and gave free cake and a good time was had by all.....
The next step was to form a 'nearly' club with the help of the fabulous Steve Swanton at Wantage CTC and MattC of this Parish we pulled together a loose cooperative stylee bike club of sorts, despite many saying that it wouldn't work or why not become a regular club or a CTC off-shoot? but we were stubborn/stupid and shared a vison. Facebook helped enourmously to keep it all working.
Despite some very recent attempts to change the vison and ethos, we've remained resolute and gave over 400 cyclists a good day out on Sunday. All ages, all kinds of rides, even an Audax and grass-track racing for the kids. To help we had local support from:
Behind Bars and Rides on Air
Pedal Power
Cycletrax
OT
Zappis - The grass-track racing was a hoot!
Choose Abingdon Partnership
Abingdon Council
Abingdon Chamber of Commerce
Various Purveyors of FREE cake ....
King Head and Bell (our spiritual home)
Loose Cannon Brewery
Raleigh Bikes
Abingdon and Witney College for Masseurs
Our 3 bands: Tony's Jazz trio, Funky Soul Trap and Target!
The Town Criers Assoc
Out and About in Abingdon
Oxford Mail
Abingdon Herald
BBC Radio Oxford
The Fire Service
ASDA for the loan of the truck and special thanks for Wout and the Drivers agency that took care of it.
Ride leaders
And a wide variety of people that gave time or some useful hidden resource to make the day happen.
So from 100 in 2010 to 400 plus participants on Sunday, not bad for a club with a £3 annual fee (to cover insurance and website) it's the cycling equivalent of Woodstock with bikes!
So what's my point? No, not an ego trip, but to make the point that there are a lot of cyclists out there and they want some community action. So, try starting a Freewheeling group and a Festival. It's not so difficult, keep it grass-roots and comunity focused and support comes out of the woodwork.
IF YOU BUILD IT, THEY WILL COME.
On Sunday, we held our 4th Abingdon Freewheeling' Annual Spring Rides Festival' this year under the guise of 'Freewheeling and Friends presents ...'
And bloody good it was too:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mfouracre/sets/72157633307552538/
OK, I have immense pride in what we have achieved and want to shout-out to other disparate cycling groups what a simple vision and some willing helpers can achieve.
We started in 2010 as a project and vision of a young lass called Emily. She (by chance) collected 5 disparate cycle-strangers into the unstoppable PeteB's kitchen and floated her idea for a Cycling Festival for the Town. She'd pretty much figured most of it and booked the Market place, now all she needed was help! There was us and a local bike shop (Good on ya - Behind Bars Abingdon) and we made it happen.
On the day we had around 100 people turn up that we took on rides and gave free cake and a good time was had by all.....
The next step was to form a 'nearly' club with the help of the fabulous Steve Swanton at Wantage CTC and MattC of this Parish we pulled together a loose cooperative stylee bike club of sorts, despite many saying that it wouldn't work or why not become a regular club or a CTC off-shoot? but we were stubborn/stupid and shared a vison. Facebook helped enourmously to keep it all working.
Despite some very recent attempts to change the vison and ethos, we've remained resolute and gave over 400 cyclists a good day out on Sunday. All ages, all kinds of rides, even an Audax and grass-track racing for the kids. To help we had local support from:
Behind Bars and Rides on Air
Pedal Power
Cycletrax
OT
Zappis - The grass-track racing was a hoot!
Choose Abingdon Partnership
Abingdon Council
Abingdon Chamber of Commerce
Various Purveyors of FREE cake ....
King Head and Bell (our spiritual home)
Loose Cannon Brewery
Raleigh Bikes
Abingdon and Witney College for Masseurs
Our 3 bands: Tony's Jazz trio, Funky Soul Trap and Target!
The Town Criers Assoc
Out and About in Abingdon
Oxford Mail
Abingdon Herald
BBC Radio Oxford
The Fire Service
ASDA for the loan of the truck and special thanks for Wout and the Drivers agency that took care of it.
Ride leaders
And a wide variety of people that gave time or some useful hidden resource to make the day happen.
So from 100 in 2010 to 400 plus participants on Sunday, not bad for a club with a £3 annual fee (to cover insurance and website) it's the cycling equivalent of Woodstock with bikes!
So what's my point? No, not an ego trip, but to make the point that there are a lot of cyclists out there and they want some community action. So, try starting a Freewheeling group and a Festival. It's not so difficult, keep it grass-roots and comunity focused and support comes out of the woodwork.
IF YOU BUILD IT, THEY WILL COME.
)
