Ilkeston Cycling Club honoured to receive national award

Members of the thriving Ilkeston Cycling Club.

The four-year-old club came runners-up last year but claimed top spot this time around in what has been a challenging year for cycling clubs across the country.

The judging panel consisted of some knowledgeable and experienced heads, including two-time Olympic Gold medalist Joanna Rowsell Shand MBE and Olympic Silver medalist Steve Cummings.

Committee member Nick Hammond said: “We are so delighted and proud to win this award after being shortlisted last year.”

“We were doing outside events, organising events for other people to join from outside the club and even now during Covid there have been plenty of activity for members to enjoy despite being the restrictions we are living under.

“In such a difficult year we have really strived to keep our members motivated and in touch with all that we have been doing, as well as planning safe Covid-secure activities for everyone to take part in.”

The young Cycling Club are striving to achieve numerous aspirations for the future including increasing the number of members, which has grown to nearly 500 since the club’s inception in 2017.

“We have gone from one little ride on a Sunday morning to 426 members that we are at currently, but what we hope to achieve going forward is numerous,” he added. "To increase the number of members and diversity of the group, including from minority groups.

“We also aim to continue to increase our offering to our members increase and continue with our youth academy, pushing that forward and create opportunities for people to cycle and race at every level.

“Prior to COVID we were in a situation where there was pretty much some club activity going on every day of the week, plus we were doing outside events, organising events for other people to join from outside the club and even now during covid there’s been plenty of activity for members to enjoy.

“We hope to increase participation, female and minority membership and to create opportunities for people to cycle and race at every level.”