News round-up + subscription announcement

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The annual cost of a CAM subscription has now risen for the first time in ten years. Everyone will, of course, receive a reminder from our Membership Secretary of the new subscription rate when their membership falls due for renewal, but Chairman Ian Dunckley has sent a News Round-up detailing the key decisions taken by the Committee to those Members & Associates who have previously renewed at the old rate

All are invited to read about the background, thinking & decisions taken by the Committee: click here to download the News Roundup if the Chairman has not sent this to you directly. This document also details the increased activities CAM is delivering now and the plans we are developing for the 12-month term of the committee following the AGM in July.

Our Chairman notes: Thank you for being Advanced Riders & members of CAM, for supporting what we do as a road safety charity, and also for creating the feeling of a club of like-minded motorcyclists

A road safety presentation by Graham Feest

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Over Community Centre, 7:30pm on Thursday, 2nd May
All are welcome at our road safety evening presented by Graham Feest. A highly experienced UK Road Safety Consultant and speaker at professional & voluntary gatherings throughout the UK, Graham will address various concerns in relation to transport, traffic, safety & roads. He is featured in the Public Speakers Corner list of the country’s top presenters, and has previously presented to several  IAM motorcycle and driver Groups

In Graham’s own words: My career began with Worthing Council in 1974, before a move to West Sussex as Senior Road Safety Officer and subsequently County Road Safety Officer for Northamptonshire in 1989. I was Head of Road Safety at the Institute of Advanced Motorists from 2001 until the end of 2003, and am currently Chairman of the Institute of Master Tutors of Driving and the Road Safety Advisor to the ADI National Joint Council. I am also a member of the Parliamentary Advisory Council for Transport Safety and serve on their Road User Behaviour Working Group

I am an approved training provider for the Chartered Institute of Highways and Transportation. Until May 2023 I was Chairman of the UK National Road Safety Committee, a position I held for some twelve years. I look forward to seeing you on 2nd May! 

Your guests are also welcome! To help us keep track of numbers, please let us know by email if you would like to attend

$$ CASH ONLY at the Silver Ball $$

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Already signed up for Phil Duffy’s ride this Sunday, or thinking of requesting a place? Please note that at the Silver Ball Café they accept only CASH!

Photo by Josh Appel on Unsplash

Full ride details here

Phil Duffy leads to the Silver Ball Café

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With the scheduled ride leader out of action with injury Phil Duffy has stepped in and, with Paul Norman in tail position, will lead next Sunday’s group-organized ride. Use the link which follows Phil’s description to request a place

1Setting out from Tesco Royston we head north on the A1198, turning west near Arrington for Wendy & Shingay (passing the excellent Pig & Abbot pub in the village of Abington Pigotts). We continue through Steeple Morden & Ashwell, where we take a tight left turn up through Bygrave, which has good views over the Weston Hills, and drop down into Baldock

Once through Baldock we take the A507 to Cottered, then take a left to follow back roads through to the A10. We briefly head north here, then turn right on the old road to pass through Wyddial, and south on the old Cambridge coaching road to Hare Street. We continue on through Brent Pelham, Clavering, Great Chishill & Barkway, then follow the ridge (the highest point in Hertfordshire, hence the radio masts) to the A10 & breakfast at the Silver Ball. Outward journey ~ 52 miles

2The return route takes us through Therfield, Sandon & Wallington, and south to Walkern. At Benington we pass the excellent Lordship Arms, on to Dane End & Munden and we arrive back at the A10 near Puckeridge. We immediately turn off the A10 and follow the B1368 north to Barley. We turn left here and follow the road back to Royston. Shopping will be in full swing at Tesco so we’ll finish the ride in the town-centre car park. Return journey ~ 35 miles

Click here to request a place

Meet the Examiner evening with Simon Burgin

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With a long career as a Police Motorcycle Officer & Forensic Collision Investigator, our IAM Examiner Simon Burgin brings a wealth of experience to his presentations and we are very pleased to welcome him back for Meet the Examiner evening on Tuesday 23rd April. As Simon’s talks are never the same twice  we can’t say what tack he will take, but he is sure to offer invaluable insights – whether you’re new to motorcycling or have been riding for decades.

Places at this event will be allocated to Associates first, but this is always a popular evening and all Members are welcome

Over Community Centre, Tuesday 23rd April, 7:30 to 9:30pm
See the Events Calendar for further details
Please let Catherine & Nigel know if you will be attending

April 7th – Group-ride to the Skylark Café

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Many thanks to ride leader Mark Fox for providing the description below of our next Group-organised ride, which sets out next Sunday from Caxton and heads to the Skylark Garden Centre & Café just outside Wimblington

“Starting out from the McDonalds car park we’ll head across to St. Neots, Eaton Socon and west to pick up the B660 near Keysoe. We’ll follow the B660 north, through Kimbolton & all the way up to Ramsey St Mary’s. We’ll tick off a couple more Ramseys as we head towards Doddington and then to the Skylark Garden Centre just outside Wimblington where we stop for breakfast. Check out the menu here
“After breakfast we head turn south, back towards St. Ives – passing through Chatteris and Somersham on the way. Once round St. Ives we will head towards Boxworth and on to the BP Garage at Childerley Gate, where we will finish the ride.

Request a place  |  Limited to 16 participants  |  Events Calendar for full details

BikerDown – Wednesday 10th April

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Cambridgeshire Fire & Rescue are running their first CAM-exclusive BikerDown course of 2024 on Wednesday 10th April (6 to 9pm). Use the link below to request your place on this enjoyable, informative & potentially life-saving course when volunteer fire officers will take attendees through:

Initial Scene Management  |  First-aid for Motorcyclists
The science of Being Seen

All our Members & Associates are welcome on this FREE course, including those who have attended previously and wish to brush up their skills. Members of our Observer Team – as well as all Ride Leader & Tailers are encouraged to attend in order to keep their first-aid skills up-to-date. Click here to request a place

An evening with Barbara Horley, National Speedway Referee

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Over Community Centre | Monday 8th April | 7:30-9:30pm
Please use this link if you plan to attend

Members, Associates & their guests are warmly invited to Over Community Centre on Monday 8th April, where Barbara Horley will make a presentation to CAM on her experience as a National Speedway Referee. An accomplished speaker, Barbara’s presentation is sure to be lively & entertaining. The evening will conclude with a Q&A session
Barbara describes how it all began…

My interest in speedway started when I was very young, accompanying my father & uncle to the track. Having attended Speedway School nearly twenty years ago, I decided to become part of the sport: riding wasn’t for me and so I trained to become a referee. In this role I have to travel all over the country, from Glasgow to Plymouth, taking charge of meetings in all three tiers of racing

I have one other link to speedway: six years ago I began studying for a PhD and am about to submit my thesis on Speedway Racing in England from 1928 to 1965. I have also presented a number of papers on speedway at academic conferences. I can honestly say that speedway has been an important part of my life for a very long time!”

Full details in the Events Calendar

Mid-week ride to Southwold (27th March)

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Full members only: don’t delay if you would like to join Paul Norman on Wednesday 27th March for his 3rd mid-week winter ride, which this time heads to the Suffolk coast at Southwold. Paul outlines the day:

This outing is limited to 7 riders in addition to me. We’ll meet up at Fourwentways, and set off at 9:30am. Our route east will take us through the middle of Suffolk, stopping for a coffee break along the way before our arrival in Southwold in time for lunch
The return route will take us through Thetford and down to Walkers Café at Barton Mills, where the ride will conclude at 3.30 – 4.00 pm. The total milage should come in at around 145 miles. I’ll be handling the bookings myself, so please email me directly if you would like a place
Paul’s previous mid-week rides proved very popular… So if you’re interested in joining him, contact Paul now using the link in his route description above!

Sunday ride to Shuttleworth, 17th March

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Ian Dunckley & Keith Curtis lead & tail respectively on this ride, which both starts and ends at Caxton Gibbet, into Bedfordshire and the Shuttleworth Runway Café at Old Warden Aerodrome. Ian outlines the route:

Departing promptly at 9:30am from Caxton Gibbett, we head through Eltisley, Abbotsley, Everton, Tempsford, Blunham & Cople before arriving at The Runway Café (see menu here). Total distance covered on the outward leg is approximately 30 miles.
Our return journey takes us through Old Warden, Cardington, Great Barford, Ravensden, Great Staughton, St Neots & Toseland before finishing back at Caxton Gibbet on the service road a few hundred metres from where we set off. At around 47 miles this is the longer leg of our ride

Photo by James Lewis on Unsplash

Departs:       McDonalds Caxton Gibbet     what3words
Ends:             Caxton Services                        what3words
Briefing  9:20am        Ride departs 9:30am        12 participants maximum

Departs Caxton Gibbet, Sunday 17th December @ 9:30am
Use this link to request a place. Ride limited to 12 participants