Each month, we are emailing a bulletin to everyone who has signed up on this site. Below is the mailout from July 2018. If you like it, please sign up on our Get Involved section - you will be showing your support for our work and you will receive our free monthly bulletins a month before they appear here. Have a look at our first bulletin to find out more about how RPC was formed and why we are progressing the idea of reducing traffic in the park by charging for shortcut journeys.
LOOK, MUM - NEW SPONSORS!
Many of you will undoubtedly know of bike cafe, bar and workshop Look Mum No Hands! - and we are delighted to announce that the well-loved Old Street institution has become our first sponsor. Welcome aboard, chaps! Cycling clubs that use Richmond Park are also set to swell our coffers and we are confident that local cycling-related businesses will support our ongoing activities. We will update you in our next newsletter.
Having a small raft of sponsors will cover our modest running costs and enable us to keep Richmond Park Cyclists as a free service to you and all our subscribers. You can do your bit by forwarding this bulletin to any of your cycling pals who you think may be interested in having their voice heard by the authorities who run the park, or anyone who would appreciate receiving regular updates on park-related events and developments. As ever, you can sign up on our website here.
A BIT OF A SETT-TO
As you cycle past Robin Hood Roundabout on your way to Roehampton Gate, you may not realise that shadowy creatures sometimes lurk barely more than a foot from your wheels. And you’ll not see them - because they are UNDER your bike.
Industrious badgers have created a network of tunnels that sit a mere 40cm beneath the tarmac - and their labyrinth, which resembles a Swiss cheese, has actually left the road vulnerable to collapse. As their sett is in a National Nature Reserve, the humane destruction of this protected species is out of the question. Other permanent solutions are being weighed up, but in the meantime some temporary options likely to be considered include “plating” - a low-level bridge over the road surface - or one-way traffic.
Badgers are thought to have lived in Richmond Park for centuries. There is sometimes freshly-excavated soil just past the roundabout - so wave if you see one of our venerable black-and-white buddies digging away!
OPEN INVITATION
A reminder that you can meet us in September at the Richmond Park Open Day in Holly Lodge, where we will be sharing a stand with bike clubs Kingston Wheelers, Twickenham CC and London Dynamo. This will be a superb opportunity for our organisation to promote the group and cycling in general, especially as the lodge is open to the public only every two or three years. Do come along and say hi - it’s a simple way to show your support for what we do.
We will have some bike exhibits and are hoping to host a Wattbike challenge, so bring along a little energy if you fancy a fun competition.
The Royal Parks has handed us another sort of challenge. Its theme for the day is the First World War, so we are looking for a bike from that era to exhibit. Do you know where we might find one? Get in touch with Paul Harknett at pharknett@virginmedia.com if you have an idea. In the meantime, have a look at event co-hosts the Holly Lodge Centre, a unique charitable organisation that runs educational activities focussed on the heritage and natural environment of the park.
The date for your diary is Sunday, September 23, 11am-4pm. We’ll see you there!
TIME TO GET FITTER?
Congratulations to all the cyclists who took part in both Richmond Park Time Trials last month. The 20mph speed limit is suspended for the event and the flow of motor vehicle traffic is restricted, which makes it a great opportunity for anyone who wants to try time trialling. The unique 10-mile event is open to anyone who owns a road bike - so there is plenty of time to get fit if you want to be one of the 120 riders on the start list. We’ll let you know when event organisers London Dynamo open online entries next summer.
SUNDAY CLOSING
Good luck to everyone participating in the Prudential Ride London this Sunday, 29th July. And if you’re not taking part, please be aware the park will be closed to all traffic for the ride as well as the professional race in the afternoon. If you fancy watching the pros race through Richmond Park, they should be there by around 2pm.
SEE YOU NEXT MONTH
That’s all for this bulletin. As ever, share this newsletter with your cycling friends - and if they like what they read, encourage them to sign up to our mailing list.
All the best, and enjoy the terrific cycling weather.
Richmond Park Cyclists
website: richmondparkcyclists.org
twitter: twitter.com/richmondpkcycle
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