DLN Jan 2004

Downhill result:
1st Terry Deeley,
2nd Mike Peel,
3rd Dave Burfoot,
4th Howard Coulson

OFFICIALS
PRESIDENT JOHN KAVANAGH 40 Beverley Road Barming Maidstone Kent ME16 9JP 01622 726959	SECRETARY PETE HARRIS 91 Ashbourne Road Ealing London W5 3DH 020 8997 7852	TREASURER JAMES LETT 102 Park Road Kingston Surrey KT2 5JZ	CLUB NIGHT First Thursday of each month HERNE HILL STADIUM Burbage Road London SE24 9HE

All the boys and girls from the engine room would like to wish all the members a happy New Year

The good news or the bad news, whatever way you look at it is that we no longer own a clubroom. The money for our clubroom was paid to our solicitors on the 15th of December 2003.

The next problem we have, although a very nice problem, is what are we going to do with it? The money is gaining minimal interest in an account with our solicitor but cannot remain there indefinitely. We will have to move to a higher interest account at least until our next AGM.

Our next AGM will be June, (unless we call a special AGM) so we need you, our members, to put forward constructive ideas through our committee or indeed make your feelings felt through the DLN. Please put your thinking caps on, as June will be on us in no time.

I have had a few ideas put forward to me, some good some bad. So I will start the ball rolling and this is my own personal feelings.

For the benefit of existing members and members in the future the money should be placed in a high interest account.

The exact figures at this stage we do not know but after deduction of Solicitors and Estate Agents fees etc and by today’s going rates, we should have at least £5,000 to £6,000 going into our account each year. You will notice that I have not mentioned investment accounts as investments can go down as well as up. What would we do with the £5,000 to £6,000? I hear you say. We have got at least 12 months to think about that if we put the money in a yearly interest account.

The above are my own personal feelings and not your committee. So now is the time for you to put pen to paper (or e-mail) and put forward constructive ideas be they for the bulk of the money, or the interest it would accrue. The DLN is there for you to express your feelings. So please use it.

Alan Jackson was a member you cannot forget for his all round riding ability. He was a National and Olympic medallist and a clubman and the best rider we ever had. A great guy to be with, he had an impish grin and you never knew what he was going to do next.

When we lost Alan it was a great loss but we still have Maureen Jackson with us as a member. Alan and Maureen had two lovely girls. Mandy and Louise, both now married and with kids.

Mandy, who now lives in Israel with her husband, had a visit from mum, who asked what she would like her to bring out. Mandy asked for a racing vest with De Laune on it like dad used to wear. If you look at the photo (she had just fallen off) you can see that impish grin!

What have we got to look forward to in 2004 (besides phoning the bank every five minuets to ask how the interest rate is going!)? Well we will be organizing our usual events. The Club Open 25, an open track event at Herne Hill and hopefully a road and cross-country races subject to course availability. And this is not counting our club time trials and hill climbs.

Harry Corbett will be organizing a special event for 2004 to cater for our triathlon people so it is all happening. You ask why is he telling us all this? The reason is we need all your help. You cannot rely on the old people from the home of the bewildered forever.

The dates of all our open and club events will be on the back page of the DLN soon so you will have no excuse to say “I cannot help or ride because I am riding this or that event” There I have said my piece.

I get asked the question, how is the clubroom going at Herne Hill? Well surprisingly well. We started off with our committee meetings (I can hear you saying boring). The committee agenda was sorted out by our chairman, Alaric who got the meeting down to 60 minutes, or under (no Waffling), this allowed us to have a natter to new members who turn up and also sit in the meetings and listen. It’s a start, and yes we go to the pub afterwards.

Sunday the 7th of Dec, the club free wheel competition was held at Godstone. This was won again by Terry Deely with Mike Peel second, Dave Burfoot (welcome back to the fold) third and our new member Howard Couldon fourth. It was so cold it was good to get into the pub after the event for food and a glass of the lunatics broth.

The Herne Hill Velodrome Trust was launched at County Hall on November 26. A large number of people heard from London Mayor Ken Livingstone, Val Shawcross (LAM for Lambeth & Southwark), Caroline Pidgeon (Deputy Leader of Southwark Council) and Rose Ades head of the London Assemblies Centre for Excellence. All declared their commitment and support to the Trust and the Herne Hill Velodrome. Graham Geddes of the Herne Hill trust outlined the plans and full information about the plans & how to become a Friend of Herne Hill can be found at www.hernehillvelodrome.co.uk

The redevelopment of Herne Hill would see a covering of the track to allow greater use throughput the year and sport & health facilities including a climbing wall. Herne Hill development plans. The turn out was good, so good that our host apologised for the shortage of chairs. We didn't mind and the cake was excellent.

It was a relief to learn the sale of the Clubroom should by now have taken place although I believe there may still be a dispute, yet to be resolved, concerning the rear fire exit. Pete Harris is to be congratulated on all his efforts that must have been tedious and time consuming. Indeed, the property seems to have been fated for when it was purchased there were lengthy negotiations and affidavits having to be signed to satisfy our solicitors so that the Club would have a good title.

There will now be from the proceeds a considerable amount of money in the hands and the responsibility of the Memorial Trustees. It must be remembered the Fund was originally set up to perpetuate the memory of those member killed in the two World Wars and although there is now only handful who knew some of them this object should still be respected. New rules will have to be set up not only for the benefit of members but also so the Trustees know what can be sanctioned.

In the past it was possible to persuade the Inland Revenue that there was no need for us to submit an annual return as we were an amateur non-profit making Club; however their attitude subsequently changed and I am sure they will now take even more interest in affairs. There are already Trustees and it does seem sensible to keep the Fund quite separate with its own accounts. These should be relatively simple to produce for the benefit of the Inland Revenue and avoid any penalties for late arrival.

There now opens up great opportunities for the annual income to be used for the benefit of the Club and cycling generally.

During this summer I decided that I would visit the church in Cliffe-at-Hoo, on the Isle of Grain, for it is here that our Founder’s forefather Thomas Faunce and one of his sons, Bonham, are buried inside the church. I have had this information for some years and have always intended to visit one day. It was a bright morning and it gave Lyn & I an opportunity to get our Morgan sports car out from under its covers and make for a set destination instead of just wandering around the lanes.

Arriving on the Isle of Grain we drove past a castle (& who lives in a house like this?) which we later found out belongs to Jools Holland. A little further on we passed through Cooling whose Church is famous for its connection with Charles Dickens and was featured in Great Expectations. A couple of miles further on we arrived at Cliffe and soon located its Church. The information, I had, said that it was a little church, this one could hardly be called little, so was it the right church? Of course it was locked, as are most Churches today. However, a notice informing where the key could be found lead me to the Vicar, some five minutes walk away. He confirmed that we were at the right church (St. Helens) Armed with a 9 inch key I returned to the church, guess what? It was now unlocked!!! The women’s guild had arrived.

The only information I had was that the two effigies were on the chancel floor. I knew they would be near the alter but was unable to locate them. To Lyn’s embarrassment I started to lift the carpet at the alter, after all I hadn’t come all this way not to find them. However, the carpets appeared to be fairly well fixed, so I carefully replaced what I had disturbed.

Like most men I do not like to ask for directions and would rather wander around aimlessly than to admit defeat. So it was on Lyn’s insistence that I stopped lifting other bits of carpet in the church and sought assistance from the ladies of the Guild. One of the ladies showed us where they were to be found (under two strips of carpet some 10 foot before reaching the alter) and added that it was interesting that we were enquiring about the effigies, as some Australians had been there a week or so before. As a lot of the information the club has on the Faunces & De Launes comes from the Australian branch of the family, these people were obviously connected.

Our conversation with this helpful lady led us to an elderly couple living just up the road from the church. Luckily, they were in and from them was given the name of a Dr. Ian Walker of Rochester, who they said was related to the Faunces buried in the Church.

I made contact with Dr Walker and he told me his mother was a Faunce (Australian branch). I sent him the history of the family plus a few other snippets of information I had. (Brian Saxton sent him a copy of Century Awheel). What Brian and I received back from him is quite staggering, One hundred and twelve sides of A4, entitled ‘A FAMILY THAT WENT OUT TO THE WORLD’ ‘The story of the Faunces of Kent’ by Alan Delaune Faunce. Accompanying this ‘Gideon Dc Laune & his Family Circle’ a 1964 lecture (some 30 pages) at the Apothecaries’ Hall Blackfriars. Interestingly Dr Ian Walker is also an apothecary and is Headmaster at Kings School Rochester. He also follows many of his distinguished forefathers who entered the church and he is a Lay Cannon of Rochester Cathedral.

I will not attempt to go into the full historical details, but contact Brian or myself if you wish to borrow the copy. Perhaps with Alan de Laune Faunce’s permission, we could serialise it. (You won’t like that ,Mark !!!) in the DLN.

I have scanned a copy of the brass effigies from Alan’s history, along with a picture of Gideon I hope they can be reproduced in the DLN.

Although I have yet to read all what Alan has written, it is interesting to note, with speculation by Alan, that the Faunces could have come over from France with the Norman conquerors. He has been told, but unable to confirm, that there is a village called Faunce in Normandy. Does anyone know of it?

Chapman De Laune Faunce De Laune, our Founder, was a Faunce and only took the De Laune name as a condition of his great- great uncle’s will, to inherit Sharsted Court as the Faunces had inherited it from the De Laune’s and there being no direct heir wished to continue the De Laune name.

1          David Baker            Ciclos Uno              1hr.12mins.10secs
2          Bryan Taylor           VCL                                  "
3          Brett Perez             Addiscombe CC                 "

1        Lewis Atkins           Ciclos Uno              1hr 13min 10 secs
2        Nat Spurling           Finsbury Pk CC                 "
3        Dave Griffiths         Twickenham CC                "

Round 9 of the Mosquito Bikes London Cyclo-Cross League held at Lancing, near Worthing and hosted by VC Etoile on November 30.

1          Warrick Spence       Cyclefit.co.uk                    11.45 miles in 54-56;
2          Craig Cooke            Cardiff Ajax                     @ 10 secs
3          Ian Field                San Fairy Ann CC             @ 14 secs

Senior
Remarkably many London area riders gave the event a miss and it was Eastern League riders who dominated on a course that is one of the longest ever created for cyclo-cross at Eastway.

No sign of Steven on the result sheet so I guess he was one who gave it a miss, Ed.

1     Mick Bell            London Fire Brigade CC 5 Laps in              46:27
2     Dave Copland     Ipswich BC                                            +0:42
3     Mark Farrow        VC Norwich                                            +0:52

1 Matt Holmes          Artic RT S 94 100 90 100 100 86           570
2 Ben Lockwood        GS Invicta S 90 86 83 76 90 94             519
3 Nathan Spurling     Finsbury Park CC S 67 63 72 76 64 76 83 501
4 Jon Sharpe             Boreas S 76 83 90 74 86 86                  495
5 Steve Price           De Laune CC S 94 86 90 100 100       470                            27 Bill Wright         De Laune CC V 55 51 60 49 62           277

The 2003 South East Road race League was a sporting success with plenty of quality racing but it closed one race early and on a knife edge. The final round would have seen 4 riders in with a chance of winning the title but it wasn't to be when the race was cancelled because of a lack of marshal's.

The subsequent AGM was poorly attended and Paul Bridgland the 2003 organiser stepped down. Since then no one has come forward to take over Paul's role and the 2004 is in doubt.

1          POWELL Mark          VC Dea                             l64
2          WINTON Mark         Lewes Wanderers              62
3          HILL Mark               Artic-Shorter Rochford R T 59

West Kent R.C. - 11/01/04
Horton Kirby Cricket Club, Franks Lane, Horton Kirby, Kent.
95k & 50k, 09-00 hrs & 10-00 hrs respectively
£5 entry on the day, proceeds to charity
Event Sec: John Tisdell 0208 304 0832

C.C. Bexley - 18/01/04
Horton Kirby Cricket Club, Franks Lane, Horton Kirby, Kent.
60mls & 30mls starting from 08-30hrs
Event Sec: Roy Canning 01732 822664

Catford C.C. - 25/01/04
Halstead Village Hall, Halstead, Kent.
104k & 54k starting from 09-00hrs.
Event Sec: Dave Marshall 01689 857 402

Old Portlians C.C. - 1/02/04
Halstead Village Hall, Halstead, Kent.
100k & 68k starting from 09-00hrs
Event Sec: Ian Bashford 0208 2890793

V.T.T.A. - 8/02/04
Marden Village Hall, Marden Kent.
50mls & 30mls starting from 08-30hrs
Event Sec: Ron Lee 01622 725334

Sydenham Wheelers - 15/02/04
Knockholt Village Hall, Knockholt Kent
110k & 70k starting from 09-30hrs
Event Sec: Bob Loader 01732 459789

The Kona 100 series returns for 2004 bigger and better than ever. As well as the three races in mid-Wales there is now one in Scotland and one in the South East of England.
May 2nd Scotland (venue TBC)
May 30th Rhayader, mid-Wales
July 4th Builth Wells, mid-Wales
August 1st Clwydian Range, mid-Wales
Sept 19th South East England (venue TBC)

The Karrimor/Specialized Enduro 6hr Race makes a return to Trentham Gardens in Staffordshire on May 8th-9th. This is a good event for De Laune members to do as it is sponsored by Specialized and they would love to see a good De Laune turnout. Teams of 4, teams of two (mixed, men's or women's pairs) or solo.

And the biggest Endurance event of them all, The Saab-Salomen Mountain Mayhem 24hr is on the weekend of June 26th-27th. Eastnor Park, near, Hereford. A hillier course, roughly a 10 mile lap. De Laune has a good track record at this event and it would be good if we could again have 2 teams.

The second big 24hr race of the year, the Shimano 24hr Sleepless In The Saddle again returns to Trentham Gardens, Staffordshire on the weekend of Aug 14th-15th. More laid back than the SSMM, the course is also a lot hillier but the event is always good fun.

British Cycling have posted this message on their website on Friday December 12. www.britishcyclling.org.uk

The London Olympic Bid and Eastway Cycle Circuit There has been much speculation in the last week or so regarding the impact of the London Olympic Bid on the existing cycle racing facilities at Eastway. It has been said, amongst other things, that the facility will disappear, that British Cycling has traded the existing facility for a Velodrome, that British Cycling has not considered the Eastway Cycle Circuit users, that the Olympic Planners have not considered cycling at all and that the Lee Valley Park Authority will sell their land to the highest bidder and want rid of Eastway in any case.

Ever since British Cycling was invited to the first meeting with the LVRPA, their absolute dedication to the Eastway cause has been obvious. Their logo says "Open Spaces and Sporting Places" and that's exactly what they do. Unlike other Local Authorities, LVRPA have no other function other than to provide sport and leisure facilities. Their budget is provided by all the London Boroughs plus the counties of Essex and Hertfordshire and 100% of it goes on sport, leisure and green spaces.

Cycle racing fits perhaps like no other sport into the Lee Valley ethic, because it takes a large area of land, keeps it green and provides healthy sport and recreation for large number of people at a relatively low cost in sports facility terms. In the LVRPA's 10 Year Plan, which started in 2000, there is a firm commitment to develop the Eastway circuit into a multi use cycling facility known as the Velopark, regardless of the Olympic Bid. That commitment remains, and has been strengthened by addition of the Olympic plans. How? By the addition of an indoor velodrome for a start. Not as a trade off for the loss of the circuit, but in addition to the other facilities in the Velopark. A velodrome is a cheap in Olympic facility terms, not only to build but also to maintain and run as a legacy facility. When Manchester made its bid for the 2000 Games, the velodrome was chosen as a 'pre build' facility for these reasons.

"The addition of an indoor velodrome is not a trade off for the loss of a circuit, but in addition to the other facilities in the Velopark...."

It has been said by those claiming to be Eastway Cycle Circuit supporters, that it is preferable to keep the existing facility rather than build a new velodrome. Loosing the Eastway cycle circuit in favour of a velodrome is not an option that has ever been discussed in any of the meetings British Cycling representatives have attended. The road circuit is always the central feature regardless of the outcome of the Olympic bid.

Put more simply, if the bid is successful, then London gets a velodrome, if the bid is unsuccessful, London possibly gets a velodrome as an addition to the LVRPA Velopark and a cycle circuit.

It's also important to realise that the Velodrome is more than just a track. The building can provide all the infrastructure and support needed for the Velopark, as well as a versatile building. Changing facilities, meeting rooms, sports science support, physiotherapy, gymnasium facilities for socialising, car parking and everything else needed in a modern leisure facility is also available if the Manchester model is followed.

The Manchester Velodrome is the most heavily used indoor track in the world, and it is used by everyone from schoolchildren to pensioners, 9 in the morning till 10 at night, 7 days a week, with the afternoon sessions usually reserved for our Olympic and World Champions.

Forgot that? Don't -- because the success of Great Britain riders at world level, and the funding that is brought into the sport because of that, is a direct result of us having one of the best velodromes in the world. We have recently seen the opening of the Newport Velodrome, and a third in London would be the icing on the cake as far as cycle racing in England and Wales is concerned.

Road circuit The Velopark scheme has always included a road circuit as its main feature. This may be different in configuration to the existing circuit in order to fit in and around whatever facilities are built for the Games if the bid is successful.

The Master Planners have now recognised the need for a cycle racing facility at all times during the Bid process, and in the Olympic construction phase if London is successful. The design of this cycling facility is not yet fixed, and cannot be until the Olympic plans are finalised, but the criteria for the design are known, and will be incorporated in the design process.

All that's needed is a one mile loop of lightweight road, its not that big a deal in construction terms and given that there is land available, then it should be possible to design not just one circuit, but a number of variations and loops suitable for young riders so that they can ride always within sight of the start/finish line.

The off road or MTB use of Eastway is recognised as a major part of the facilities usage. The same criteria apply as to the road circuit. That is to say that there is a fundamental need for off road facilities to be provided throughout the Olympic bid process, throughout the Olympic facility construction phase and post Olympics.

Unfortunately the natural terrain at Eastway does not provide opportunity for the construction of an Olympic standard MTB course, otherwise this would have been an integral part of the Olympic facilities like the Velodrome and the BMX track. If the Olympics come to London, then the decommissioning of the non cycling facilities post Olympics will provide a wonderful opportunity to construct an off road course as the site is re landscaped.

As well as the Velodrome, if London is successful, then there is a need to construct a BMX facility. This will remain as a legacy and will form another part of the Velopark. There is no international standard BMX track available in London, but its an Olympic sport from 2008, and can only gain in popularity. In the scenario of an unsuccessful Olympic bid then a lower grade BMX race facility, together with a play track will be built. Provisional plans for a Cycle Speedway Circuit are included, but its construction will be dependant on whether a need can be established.

We recognise that there are users of Eastway that are not members of British Cycling, but we are not ignoring them. Nothing British Cycling has done, or intends to do with regard to Eastway is against the interests of any branch of cycle sport. The task is enormous, and is well beyond what can be done by well meaning and enthusiastic amateurs working in their spare time. It's a job for professionals, it takes total commitment in terms of time and resources.

We want to see cycle racing in all its forms grow into a major sport in Great Britain, not one that takes place in obscure locations and puts its participants at risk. We want it to be a big sport, with big facilities where people can participate and socialise, bring their children and enjoy everything that the sport has to offer.

Eastway will be this facility, before 2012 if London isn't successful in bidding for the Games. If the London bid is successful, then the capital will have a wonderful legacy of sporting and leisure facilities and social facilities. The legacy is central to the bidding process, its one of the factors that scores very high when the International Olympic Committee (IOC) assess the bids. Of all the Olympic sports, cycling is one of the few that has support from London 2012 for a pre build facility.

Its also has major support from the LVRPA, who have a strategy in place to utilise the velodrome as part of plans for a major multi use cycling facility, to provide the land and who have a willingness to accept the legacy usage of the Velodrome whether or not the Olympics come to London.

Sprinters see gaps, they go for them knowing that gaps will close just as quickly as they open. This opportunity is a gap, it's a chance to get the inside line on the best opportunity for bike racing in London for years. Either we take it whilst it's available, or we regret for ever.

THE FOLLOWING MEMBERS WILL BE CELEBRATING THIS YEAR THEIR 50th YEAR OF MEMBERSHIP OF THE DE LAUNE CYCLING CLUB

FEBRUARY	BERT COLLINS & BRIAN SAXTON
JULY	MICHAEL MOORE
OCTOBER	ROY CHITTLEBOROUGH & BRIAN DACEY

NOTICE BOARD

This was a day late due to the funds from the purchaser not arriving on time. We received a small amount of interest as a result.

I shall speak to the solicitor tomorrow to clarify the trustees obligations now that the sale has gone through.

I received a letter, this morning, from the financial advisor recommended by the solicitor. I shall circulate this amongst the trustees in the next day or two. I have also received a deed to assign the benefit of any claims on the building insurance to the new owners. I shall circulate this amongst the trustees - please sign and return to me.

A MERRY CHRISTMAS - HAPPY HOLIDAYS

THE LAST DAY FOR COPY TO BE INCLUDED IN THE NEXT ISSUE IS WEDNESDAY 28 January 2004

THIS SHOULD BE SENT TO:
MARK BALLAMY
41 MAYES CLOSE
WARLINGHAM
SURREY CR6 9LB

Phone & Fax 01883 627809 . e-mail mark.ballamy@virgin.net

Founded 1889

NOTICE BOARD

A MERRY CHRISTMAS - HAPPY HOLIDAYS