PW_2_2022

Sports

Blue Light Cycling Club nears its 1st Anniversary Neil Turner , London North Branch Since the launch of the Blue Light Cycling Club in May 2021, we have enjoyed an amazing few months. Word has spread of the club, and we now have over 570 members. O ur members have enjoyed lots of sportive and other events , on which the club has sourced free spaces. We also undertook our first club event, a circular ride from London, taking in Cambridge,

Northamptonshire, Buckinghamshire and Surrey. We were joined by Lady Winner and Chief Supt Smith, (Met Police), at the National Police Memorial. Both guests laid tributes at the memorial, before welcoming back the riders. This ride raised over £21,000 for Care of Police Survivors. The club has members in both Scotland and Wales. Their rides have been attended by local emergency service personnel and armed forces representatives. In September and October, the club had the privilege of being involved in the AJ Bell Men and Women’s Tours. We helped the organisers by riding the last 15km of each stage and chaperoning local emergency services heroes. It was an amazing experience for our members, who got to meet the pro- riders and enjoy the unique atmosphere. The publicity the club obtained from these events led to a huge increase in interest from prospective members and prospective business supporters. As the weather turned and the nights drew in, the less adventurous amongst us (me) turned to Zwift and other cycling based apps. Challenges and competitions were arranged allowing members to keep in touch over the winter months The club also had the great honour of being approached by University College London and the Institute of Sport, Exercise & Health. They provided us with a bespoke fitness test and training package. Members attended their lab in central London and were put through their paces. Strength and cardio capabilities were examined, and each member was provided with a detailed body composition and fitness assessment. Once they had caught their breath, they were given an eight week bespoke training programme. The candidates will return to the lab in the near future to be retested and, hopefully, see the benefit of the training and their hard work. This year sees some exciting developments for the club. A new clothing provider Le Col, will be partnering with the club. The new club shop will be up and running soon. New sponsors will also be announced. These brands and companies will give the club greater exposure. And as the weather improves, our riders will be back out on the roads, putting in the miles for the many planned events we have; London2Paris, another UK ride, plus lots of locally organised rides. We are already using our IPA contacts in Belgium and France, to make sure our rides on the continent benefit from everything IPA membership can provide. If you are into your cycling then you can find us at www.bluelightcc.co.uk or if you have any questions please email me at neil@bluelightcc.co.uk

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POLICE WORLD Vol 67 No.2, 2022