NEWS
John Compton
I am writing to inform Witley MCC members past and present of the death on 14th February at the age of 86 of John Compton, who was an enthusiastic competitors in scrambles, enduros and trials for some 40 years until his retirement in the late 1990s.
John spent most of his life in the Guildford area. His first love was motorcycle sport, but in his day job he founded and ran a company called Guildford Refrigeration, and was also involved in property development.
Following his retirement, he moved to Hooe in East Sussex, being cared for in his final years by his partner, Gill King. He is survived by three sons: Jonathan, Alex and Nick.
A church service celebrating John's life is being arranged and details will be provided in due course.
Bob Pirie
NEW GOVERNMENT PROPOSALS COULD MAKE VEHICLE MODIFICATION ILLEGAL
A new Government consultation – Future of transport regulatory review: modernising vehicle standards – could spell trouble for motorcycling and motoring enthusiasts alike.
Restrictions on modifying vehicles from manufacturers' specification could remove customised or altered bikes and cars from the road.
Aside from possibly legitimate environmental reasons, it seems that one objective is to ensure that, as autonomous vehicles are introduced, they will be able to integrate safely – but only with precisely defined and heavily restricted human-driven vehicles. And it's those (the ones we ride or drive) that will have to be restricted to suit.
At the risk of sounding like a Luddite, I'm not sure that's the right way round?
How all this might affect the continued use of classic vehicles is another area of concern.
It's not entirely clear what will happen next, and no doubt some sensationalist headlines may be coming up, but this document seems to have slipped in under the radar, so it's hard not to be suspicious.
The consultation is only open until 22nd November, so there's not a lot of time to respond...
Read the document here...
Some other links:
Overview
Survey
ENDURO NEWS
Witley MCC member Euan Syme competed in the
FIM Enduro Vintage Trophy in October 2021.
The Vintage Trophy was held on the Island of Elba, on the 40th anniversary of the 1981 International Six Days Enduro.
Euan finished the event in a respectable 196th overall out of 450 entrants.
WITLEY MCC ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 2021
The Witley Motor Cycle Club AGM took place at Compton Club Ltd on MONDAY 11th October 2021 at 8.00pm.
I would like to thank all those who attended to support your Club and your Committee.
Tristan Robinson
Hon. Secretary
That’s the AGM done and dusted for another year!
Congratulations to Ian George, our new Chairman and Laurie Richards, our new President; the new Committee look forward to working with you.
Silver Badge and Gold Badge
At our AGM, one of the honours bestowed on Club Members is the Silver Badge. Established in 1931, with the first recipient being H C ‘Charlie’ Wake – who has a trial named in his honour – the Silver Badge is awarded by the President to a Club member whose service has been exemplary.
In accordance with our late President’s wishes, the Silver Badge for 2020 was awarded last night to Geoff Urben.
For decades Geoff has flown the Witley and District MCC flag in grasstrack at National and International level. At 79 years young, he was competing in the West Country this past weekend with his son-in-law and fellow historic Witley member Chris Tyrrell.
On very rare occasions, the President also awards the Gold Badge. This badge is for 50 years unbroken membership of the club – one has to be a certain vintage! This year, trials stalwart Ian Hayward was awarded his ‘Witley Wings’.
Silver Badge recipients
Laurie Richards presents (above) a Gold Badge to Ian Hayward and (left) the 2020 Silver Badge to Geoff Urben
Ian George
BILL GLOVER
The Committee of Witley MCC is very sad to report the death of our President, W.G Glover, on 24th May, after a short spell in hospital.
Bill had not been in the best of health in recent years, but always tried to stay positive and as involved as he could be with the Club. Up until March 2020, when meetings had to be suspended, he was rarely absent from the Committee table.
An enthusiastic member of Witley MCC for over 65 years, Bill regularly got involved with all manner of sporting and social events from the outset, as rider and official, and became a famous Starter in the days of the Boxing Day Scramble, where he was noted for the rigorous enforcement of the clutch-hand-on-head-until-flag rule using his stick! He reprised his Starter role at many other trials and enduros, and of course at the Long Distance Trial. In more recent times, he was invariably a Club Steward.
Outside the field of competitive sport, always a worker behind the scenes, Bill was also instrumental in managing the team to install and fit out the new Witley/Gas Social Club clubroom in Mary Road, Guildford, in the late 1960s/early 1970s. He was also the Chairman of the Witley & District Sports & Social Club through into the 1980s, and Vice President of Witley & DMCC for many years too, prior to becoming President, following the passing of Bill Boniface.
Outside of motorcycling activities, he was of course an expert craftsman in wood, and many will have seen the results of his skill. Maybe less well known nowadays is that he was a champion rifle shooter and held many awards from competitions at Bisley. And on top of all that, he was one of several Witley members with a strong interest and ability in keeping and breeding birds.
Bill will be very much missed in the Witley community. On behalf of the Club, the Committee offer sincere condolences to his wife Carol, his family and friends.
Bill with one of his wooden masterpieces, a bowl presented to Katherine Brockman in April 2019 on her retirement as Secretary.
The Funeral service took place at Woking Crematorium on Monday 14th June. With the current limits on numbers, Witley MCC was represented by several members with their motorcycles, following the hearse into the grounds before attending the ceremony.
A page from a 2015 Club Newsflash showed Bill taking part in both on- and off-road activities. He also took part in the National Rally.
ACU NEWSLETTER 18 MARCH
Revised timescale for use of Forestry England land
Halfords discount for ACU members
Event calendars, speculation and misinformation
National Motorcyclists Council
Renault offer BIG savings to ACU members
ACU NEWSLETTER 11 MARCH
UK motorcyclists will now gain additional power in Government and Parliament on motorcycling issues following the launch of the National Motorcyclists Council (NMC) on Friday March 5th.