10th – Zoom Meeting
We met on Zoom and made final plans for our North Dorset Cycle Ride. The organising group have mad impressive arrangements and the event is fully subscribed with 480 riders. We are looking forward to a really special day.
We agreed a donation to an Indian Rotary club to help the desperate situation there with Covid. Rotary is an international organisation and links like this can be a very reliable means of being certain that money gets quickly to its intended destination
16th – North Dorset Cycle Ride
Monsoon Showers fail to Dampen Spirits on BV Dairy sponsored North Dorset Cycle Ride
Despite the downpours from near monsoon rain, spirits were high and the 5th North Dorset Cycle Ride, sponsored by BV Dairy went ahead, with a full entry of 480 cyclists. Entry had to be closed weeks before the start!
Due to Covid restrictions, this year’s event took on an entirely new format, with a new location at Castle Hill and entrants having staggered starts. Despite nearly half of the entrants deciding to stay at home, due to the weather, the remaining cyclists braved the elements and took to the road.
BV Dairy the sponsors, played a huge part in getting the event off the line. Not only were they main sponsors, but they entered a team of 9 with the remaining staff coming out in full, to help with the smooth running of the day. Shaftesbury Rotary Club would like to say a huge thank you, to BVDairy, for having the faith in the event going ahead during the pandemic, together with all the help and publicity throughout the process of putting on this event.
Team BV Dairy at the Covid regulated start
With a feed station on Bulbarrow Hill two thirds into the 55mile route, energy food was required and for this Shaftesbury Rotary Club would like to say a big thank you to Tesco’s, who provided bananas and satsumas, to help the cyclists finish the course. In addition to the companies mentioned beforehand, we would like to thank Rob Beale who supplied the toilets at Castle Hill and at Bulbarrow. Travis Perkins who supplied Hi Viz and barriers, Aqua Clean the Covid cleansers, Signrite the signage and last but not least, James Thrift, who battled the elements to take the photographs.
Then there are all the volunteers, friends, and family who take part very year, without them we would not be able to put the event on, so a huge thank you especially this year, despite the weather they stood there, keeping the cyclists’ spirits up by smiling and joking.
Lastly to the dedicated cyclists who turned up to take part in such adverse weather and who’s spirits remained high without one complaint. Thank you.
Sadly, it was not a good day for the caterers The Really Tiny Coffee Company, Dorset Grill and Mister Softee, dues to cyclists not staying behind yet they were really appreciated by Shaftesbury Rotary Club members and those cyclists who wanted to warm up. Hopefully they will support us next year?
Profits from this year’s event will be going to Prostate Cancer and to Local Charities; all funds badly needed after the pandemic.
Please go to our Facebook page North Dorset Cycle Ride and comment if you took part in the day and keep an eye out for next year’s date. If you took part and would like to view and order a few photos then go to-https://optimisedimages.com/rotary_north_dorset_bike_ride_2021
Going back to Hovis days
More photo’s from the event can be found on our Gallery Page.
24th – Zoom Meeting
We met for what we hope will be our last full Club Zoom meeting. Next month one or both of our two full meetings, will take place out of doors in a marquee subject to Covid regulations. We are certainly looking forward to this.
We were pleased to learn that our bike ride went well despite the atrocious weather and that all riders returned safely. We also learnt that all is going well with plans for Gold Hill Festival on July 4th.
We then continued with our review of our future plans which is now essentially complete subject to ratification at a face-to-face meeting and then the creation of an action plan.