Happy Birthday George

Happy birthday President George!

Today members and friends of Welland Valley Cycling Club are wishing our President George Barnett a very happy 80^th birthday.

Before being Club President, George was Club Chairman from the early 1990s to 2017 and has been involved with the Club since the 1950s.  He has guided the Club though much change in cycling and has had a huge impact on many people’s lives, keeping us functioning when times were at their most difficult and is a source of great knowledge and insight.

George achieved much in the saddle!  For example, in 1967 he rode 224 miles in a 12-hour TT in Coventry, in 1974 he won the Club’s freewheeling competition from East Farndon to Marston Trussell, and in August 2002 he did the ‘end to end’ (Land’s End to John O’Groats) in a week with Phil Rayner. He also fondly talks about winning a Club hill climb that went from the roundabout at the start of Farndon Road all the way to East Farndon, beating George Halls.

George has a great talent for making things happen.  He helped to establish the Whizz Kids section nearly 20 years ago, which has seen waves of young riders develop a lifelong passion for the sport.  Although he no longer cycles competitively, he encourages and supports a huge number of members who do and he’s always able to draw on his experience and give good advice.

Today Welland Valley CC has over 300 adult members, a thriving ‘Whizz Kids’ section for our youngest riders, strong youth development support, and organises 30+ racing and participative events as well as numerous rides and training sessions a year.  George is always the first to arrive and the last to leave events organised by the Club, timekeeping for our club and open TT events, setting out the courses, attending countless meetings and AGMs, and is a dab hand at making tea.

His energy, dedication, and values have shaped the Club into what it is today.  Past and current members, and all who are part of the wider cycling family in and around the Welland Valley and beyond, have tremendous warmth and respect for everything George has done, and continues to do, for our Club.

Thank you, George.  Wishing you a very Happy Birthday