Meet Cycling UK member groups’ award-winning volunteers

By Julie Rand

Chester and North Wales Caer a Gogledd Cymru volunteers (L to R) Janet Jones, Colin Bell and Dave Matthews (on behalf of Margaret) receive their Certificates of Appreciation from former Cycling UK chair of trustees Janet Atherton. Photo: Glennys Hammond

Chester and North Wales CTC Caer a Gogledd Cymru and CTC Cymru are both Cycling UK member groups who wanted to reward some of their volunteers. Find out more about the volunteers and the essential work they do to ensure the smooth running of the groups

Chester and North Wales CTC Caer a Gogledd Cymru is one of Cycling UK’s most active member groups. Many of its members are also involved with organising the annual Welsh Festival of Cycling as part of CTC Cymru, another of our member groups.

Recently, both groups have recognised the hard work and dedication of some of the outstanding volunteers who enable other people to keep their wheels turning.

From event organising to leading rides to providing catering services and editing a club magazine, all these tasks are essential to providing wonderful cycling experiences for people in the area, as well as those visiting from further afield.

Chester and North Wales CTC Caer a Gogledd Cymru would like to thank

Margaret Matthews

Margaret has been an unsung hero at countless Chester and North Wales CTC Caer a Gogledd Cymru events over the years, ensuring that riders are registered and checked in at the start, and providing refreshments.

She is a calm, reassuring presence, which is what riders need as they sign in for an event. She has issued brevet cards for many audax events, as well as assisting at Vets 100 events and other rides over the years.

Margaret has also organised Macmillan coffee mornings for cyclists, providing tea, coffee and delicious cakes, and raising thousands of pounds for the charity.

There are many riders who would like to thank Margaret for her volunteering, and she has been awarded a Certificate of Appreciation by Cycling UK.

Chair of the group Dave Matthews accepts a Certificate of Appreciation on behalf of Margaret Matthews from former chair of trustees Janet Atherton. Photo: Glennys Hammond

Colin Bell

Colin received a Going the Extra Mile Bronze Lifetime Achievement Award for his more than 10 years of volunteering in cycling. He stood down as treasurer for Chester and North Wales CTC Caer a Gogledd Cymru at its AGM in April 2024, having served the club in the post since November 2010.

He has run the day-to-day accounts, and prepared and submitted the treasurer’s annual returns in the early years to CTC and then to Cycling UK.

During his time as treasurer, technology has changed: he introduced the use of a new accounts package and arranged the transition to online banking using an expenses system, which meant the chair or secretary would still need to approve payments (in lieu of the double signatories on cheques).

Colin has always been approachable and ready to answer questions, and also help committee members and organisers with any queries or issues. The club would like to record its thanks for his diligent work over the years.

A man (left) and woman (right) are standing next to each other. The man is holding a certificate of achievement. They are both smiling at the camera

Colin Bell receives his Lifetime Achievement Award from Janet Atherton. Photo: Glennys Hammond

Janet Jones

Janet has also been given a Certificate of Appreciation for editing The Link, the magazine for Chester and North Wales CTC Caer a Gogledd Cymru members.

She volunteered for this daunting task in 2017, knowing that, sadly, she would not have help and support from the previous editor, Martin Brooks, who had passed away suddenly.

She got to grips with the publishing software and, from the start, produced interesting and colourful A4 magazines for subscribers to enjoy. She not only edited the magazine, but also contacted advertisers to support the magazine and worked alongside Graham Arnold, who worked diligently to keep track of subscriptions.

She also regularly produced costing calculations to help the club balance the books.

Janet has been able to gently coax copy from members, some sending in articles with images ready to be quickly inserted in the magazine, others sending handwritten copy to be deciphered and word processed.

She has coped with the stress of most contributions appearing at the last minute, or even slightly after the last minute; and managed to collect enough material to keep things going during the pandemic when there were no group rides.

Janet’s final edition as editor was published in April 2024. All Link readers would like to thank Janet very much and wish her well.

Three people are standing next to each other. In the middle is a woman holding a certificate. She's wearing a shirt and jeans and has long hair. On the left is a man wearing cycling kit and a medal and on the right is a woman in blue T-shirt and trousers.

Janet Jones receives her Certificate of Appreciation. Photo: Glennys Hammond

CTC Cymru would like to thank

Emrys Jones

Emrys has been involved with CTC Cymru since it started and also volunteered at the Welsh Festival of Cycling – group’s flagship event and enjoyed by around 400 riders every year – from the start, being one of the main organisers for many years.

He was presented with a Gold Lifetime Achievement Award for more than 30 years of volunteering in cycling at this year’s festival.

Emrys has also been a tour leader for CTC Holidays and Tours. Over the decades, he has been involved in many volunteer roles with other Cycling UK groups such as Merseyside CTC, for which he organised the Wild Wales Challenge one year, and was a ride leader for Shropshire and mid-Wales CTC from the mid-1980s.

A woman is handing a framed certificate to a man. She is wearing a purple T-shirt and blue shorts. He is wearing a blue T-shirt and trousers.

Emrys Jones receives his Going the Extra Mile award from Cycling UK’s Gwenda Owen. Photo: Steve Jones

John Holiday

John has been a volunteer at the Welsh Festival of Cycling for more than 10 years. But like Emrys he has been involved with cycling for many, many years.

He has led rides, helped with advice, booking in and looking after the site and club room when others are out on rides. He has a life-long passion for cycling and regularly volunteers for Bren Bikes in Chester as a bike mechanic and also for Sustrans. He has also worked as a cycle instructor.

John has been recognised with a Lifetime Achievement Bronze award for more than 10 years of volunteering.

Two people are holding a framed certificate between them. On the left is a woman in purple T-shirt and blue shorts, on the right is a man in a purple and blue top and grey shorts. They are both smiling at the camera

John Holiday is presented with his Lifetime Achievement Award by Gwenda Owen. Photo: Steve Jones

Lowri Evans

Lowri is the longstanding secretary of Chester and N. Wales CTC Caer a Gogledd Cymru and has been organising cycling events since 2005. She joined the group’s committee in 2006 and has been secretary for Wrexham Reivers since late 2007, joining the CTC Cymru committee at about the same time.

She has been involved with the Welsh Festival of Cycling for “quite a while”, she says, and has been one of the organisers since 2012.

She has dedicated hours of her spare time to ensuring that everything runs smoothly so that Cycling UK members from all over the country can enjoy a relaxing and fun cycling holiday in the beautiful countryside around Ruthin in Denbighshire. She also occasionally leads rides and helps at events.

Lowri’s outstanding dedication has been recognised with a silver Going the Extra Mile award for almost 20 years as a volunteer for Cycling UK.