West Highland Wheelers Committee Meeting – 16/05/23

Present; Doug Little, Marian Austin, Gregor Muir, Gill Barnes, Norman Clark, Mark Clark.

Apologies; Steve Bradley, Dave Parfitt, Lorraine Whelan, Jacqui Parfitt.

Bikmo/British Cycling Club of the year award.

• As part of this award we have £100 to spend on an event of our choice. It was agreed that it would be good to put the money towards an event to celebrate the opening of the bike park.
• Also, as part of the award we also get a free year’s affiliation with British Cycling. Doug to forward details about this to Marian.
• Bikmo would like to do a feature on the club and have asked for a video highlighting all that we do. This is in addition to the Scottish Cycling Bike and Blether video, which they would like to use. Doug to see if we can get anyone from kid’s club ( Ava/Aidan/Holly?) to do a video.

Winter League.

• This year we held 2 races on forestry land and were not charged by forestry for this. If we are going to do more than 2 next year it might be worth applying for a licence to cover several events (£250) as per the athletics club. It was however generally felt that we might only be doing 2 races again on forestry land. If doing races on forestry land, it is important that we minimize the use of “guerilla tracks”
• Mark is happy to do a race again at his croft, but would prefer that it would be slighter later in the series, so that he can combine it with a BBQ.
• It would be good to approach the Foxes about running a race.
• Our event insurance is up for renewal. The price has increased from £468 to £489. This covers us for 15 non-road events for up to 250 people. It gives us £20 million in public liability insurance which is what forestry require in order to run races. It also covers anyone volunteering at races. It was agreed that we would renew the insurance at the new price.

Time Trials.

• Going well. It is great to get the Triathlon club involvement.
• Norman is going to post on facebook about the “ Tour of the Pistes” charity ride later in the year. Norman would be happy to take anyone interested to Laggan to join in the ride to Fort William from there.

Wednesday Night Rides.

• Numbers have recently been very good and it was agreed that having designated leaders for different level rides was working well.

Kid’s Club.

• Mark is going to run a level 1 course for 6 riders on the 2^nd and 3^rd of Sept. Mark will let us know the cost for this. As an introduction to the course, he will run a taster session on the morning of the 10^th of June.
• Zoe Newson, Andrew O’Hagen and Chris Waters from the Bike Kitchen all needing to do their level 2 assessments as soon as possible. Mark is not yet able to do this for us, and Mike is away in India for a couple of months. Doug/Bridget to contact Karl at the college to see if they have any assessments coming up. The other option would be Glenmore Lodge.
• Gregor/Doug to speak to Chris about doing a maintenance session/sessions for the club.
• Nathan has offered to help out with Child protection. When we are looking for affiliation next year it is important that he has done the Scottish Cycling Protection officer’s course.
• Doug to contact Simon at Highland First Aid about doing his 2-hour free refresher course.
• As part of Nevis Range’s funding application to Sport Scotland for upgrading the downhill track it was verbally agreed the kid’s club would get three free uplift days. We need to work out the dates and logistics for this.

Festival.

• Agreed that it was a great success. Would be good to look at collaborating with the Foxes on a smaller festival next year.
• The final payment of £1250 should be made to us from Event Scotland on 24/5.

Bike and Blether.

• Bike and Blether rides are now mixed rides.
• We need to update the website about these rides.

Membership.

• Jacqui has learned a bit more about things that we need to keep an eye out for in the new rolling system. A bit of monthly admin is needed to keep on top of this.
• Jacqui is going to write some info to send out in a newsletter reminding everyone about how the rolling membership works.

Trail Association.

• The next dig is this Sunday the 21/05 at Achaderry Estate.
• Mark informed us of the following points agreed at a recent meeting with Forestry.
• The Trails at Strone should be re-opening within the next month.
• Forestry have pledged to provide £1500 per annum to LTA to help with materials for maintaining trails.
• Subject to receiving a plan, forestry has agreed that LTA can take over the Cackle. It would be good to involve the Kid’s club in helping to develop this.
• Forestry will be looking after Broomstick Blue and the puggy line.

Bike Park

• Work is well underway and the opening date is planned for Wed the 2^nd of August.
• There is currently a funding shortfall of around £10,000. This is needed for the special sound protective fence, without which the project will not be able to go ahead. Gregor is working on making up this shortfall, it was however agreed that if it comes to the stage that a shortfall of cash is holding up the opening of the Bike Park, then the Wheelers would help out financially. We would provide up to £3500 as an outright donation and a loan of up to £3500 which would be repaid.

AOB

• As of this year, Highland Council will no longer be providing any funding for Sports Councils. Once current reserves are spent, then the likelihood is that Lochaber Sports Association will wind down. It would be good to take advantage of available funds this year. We can apply for a maximum of £500 per application with a total limit of £1000 per annum. Any applications have to be match funded by the club. Doug to pass contact details to Gregor to see if the Bike Park can use any of the funding.
• Ava and Aidan have applied to join the Scottish Cycling Young Ambassadors Programme. They will find out in June if they have been successful.

Bank Account– currently standing at £12700

Next Meeting – Tuesday the 25^th of July at 7.30. Provisionally at Gill’s House.

Actions.

• Doug to see if Aidan/Holly/Ava would be interested in doing a video outlining club activities which we could send to Bikmo.
• Mark to give us costs for running a level1 course on the 2^nd and 3^rd of September + a taster session on the morning of the 10^th of June.
• Doug to liase with Bridget and Karl at the college to see if we can get Andrew, Zoe and Chris on any upcoming level 2 assessments.
• Gregor/Doug to speak to Chris about doing some maintenance sessions for the club.
• Gregor and Nathan to liase about doing a Scottish Cycling club protection officer course.
• Doug to contact Simon at Highland First Aid about doing a 2 hour first aid refresher course.
• Jacqui to write some info about the rolling membership system to send out in a newsletter.
• Doug to update the website re Bike and Blether.