Tuesday 21st October at 2 Combe Hill Cottages, Combe Raleigh 7pm
In a departure from previous years, the 2025 AGM was hosted by Lin, who prepared a delicious meal of lasagne, with garlic bread and salad. This was followed by very tempting desserts made by Sue, Gayle and Jennie. After the first course, Robert began the formal part of the evening, followed by a break for dessert and further discussion.
Welcome and Chair’s Report
Robert thanked Lin for her hospitality and welcomed the significant number of members present, some of whom were new.
In his report, Robert thanked Kevin for hosting the 10th anniversary BBQ and commiserated with Tony for his accident during the Dartmoor Classic earlier in the year. He noted the good attendance at the charity rides, the Nello and the Cycle 42, despite poor weather and punctures, and mentioned several successful club rides, including the Coast to Coast, organised by Roger and Steve.
Treasurer’s Report and membership summary
As Hannah was unable to join us, Robert gave a brief summary of the club finances. A full report is available on request.
2025 income = £380. Expenditure = £830. Year loss = £450. This was an exceptional year due to the anniversary celebrations, so high expenditure was planned. Opening cash balance was £1,988 and the closing balance was £1,619. The £81 fee for British Cycling affiliation had not been claimed for the year back, so was not included in the figures owed in order to give a true picture for the year.
Dissolution of the committee.
It was with regret that Robert accepted Hannah’s resignation as Treasurer/ Membership Secretary and thanked her for the considerable time and effort given to the club. No position on the committee was contested, so the new committee is as follows:
- Robert Oakley – Chair
- Jennie Sleeman – Secretary
- Lin Grady – committee member
- Tim Lamb – committee member
- Matt Camps – committee member
- Robert has agreed to act as temporary treasurer
- Roger Saunders agreed to continue to maintain the club website
- John Burgess agreed to take responsibility for Spond and memberships.
Awards and acknowledgements
Roger and Steve were presented with gift tokens from The Bike Shed in recognition of the considerable effort put into the successful Coast to Coast ride. Lin and Jennie received a bottle of wine as a ‘thank you’ and a special 10th Anniversary Award was presented to John Burgess as acknowledgement of his considerable contribution to the club over the past ten years.
Discussion of 2026 rides
Robert commented on the shift of attendance from Tuesday evening club rides to daytime rides, possibly reflecting the age profile of current members. It was agreed that the Tuesday evening club nights would recommence in 2026, with emphasis on rides for those who prefer to ride in the evenings and at a faster pace. Use of Spond will be amended to ensure that members are well-informed of rides. Other features of Spond will also be explored.
Several routes for 2026 were suggested. Robert will create a calendar of rides for 2026 to include local club-led rides, various starting points for rides further afield, sportives and also special events. Members are encouraged to let Robert know of possible dates when they are able to lead rides and to suggest routes. It was agreed, however, that rides will be confirmed about a week beforehand, taking into account weather conditions and level of interest. Robert has chosen The Nello and Cycle 42 to be the club-focused rides for 2026 and hopes that these will be well-supported. It was agreed that efforts to attract membership should continue and that increased membership offered the possibility of greater funds to support rides further away.
