Attn Cycling UK Members!

What if you’ve binned the ballot paper? 🤦‍♂️

@ratherbeintobago - Just email haveyoursay@cyclinguk.org, ideally letting them know your cycling UK membership no., but probably OK if you don't have it, and they should be able to provide you with your two-part code to vote online.

Here's my pitch, if you're interested:

Members of Cycling UK - Mountain biking needs you!
Frustrated that the big national cycling bodies sometimes forget mountain biking exists? Would it be better if they properly represented our interests with national and local governments, other public sector bodies and amongst other user groups? How about if they ensured mountain biking got its fair share of investment? Well, you can help change things! I’ve been nominated in this year’s Cycling UK Trustee elections. If elected, I’ll be on the board that governs Cycling UK, fighting to make sure mountain biking is properly represented.

If you or any of your group are Cycling UK members, I would really appreciate yours and their votes. This year there are only two candidates and, weirdly enough, we’re both called Robin, so please make sure you/they vote for Robin Grant and NOT the other one - it’s important the results show just how much mountain bikers want their voices heard. Voting closes at the end of October, so if you can, please vote soon! Cycling UK members can find details of how to vote online or by post here:

What if you’ve binned the ballot paper? 🤦‍♂️

I absolutely did not do this and will not be needing the helpful reply.

Thanks @robingrant, I recently became a member and I like and agree with what you've written there and in your 'pitch'.

However, the document linked above clearly states there are 'two' positions or vacancies, and we should vote for two candidates - and there are only two people who have nominated themselves as candidates!

Are you not in by default!?

@snotrag Yup, there are two vacancies, only two people that made it through the selection procedure to be put in front of members, and members have two votes.

So, yup, I'm in by default (assuming I get at least 1 vote), but you don't need to use both of your votes - what I'm suggesting above is that you just vote for me, Robin Grant, and not the other Robin, in order that the results show just how much mountain bikers want their voices heard.

I'd actually happily vote for both canddates, as you each bring different value to the trustees (one off-road focussed, one urban utility cycling focussed).

I'm still hacked off about teh way the conversion to a singel charity was done, and teh subsequent purge of long-standing officers (such as Chris Judden - Technical Officer and an off-road officer) was done some years ago.  Roles that have subsequently been effectively replicated and filled by less knowledgable/visible individuals than previous...

Oh well, they are the closest thing to a competent cycling campaign group we have in this country, as Sustrans are basically worthless, and frankly substantially to blame for the current state of UK cycling infrastructure following the debacle o fhte "national cycling network" funded around the millenium.

I got the ballot paper with the mag the other day. Nearly binned it like I do with most organisations I'm a member of TBH, but thought I'd have a look while having a coffee, read Robin( Grant)'s manifesto and it was an easy choice so I voted.

Pleased to see you're on here Robin. Good luck, and thanks for giving up your time. 

Looks like I binned a voting form as well with the magazine.

I've got to say, as a new member I'm not massively impressed. The information about the vote is not anywhere that I can see on the website (even if you log in) You need to go to a completely different website to vote, and you need a two part code to vote. Anybody would think they're not interested in our opinion.

I am a Cycling UK member (and advocate ) - and have been for 30 years.

I am intrigued that you feel there is a need for representation in this way.

My understanding is that Cycling UK does not have a specific policy on mountain bikes, in the same way as it does not have a specific policy on red bikes, or blue bikes.

My understanding is that Cycling UK does not have a specific policy on mountain bikes, in the same way as it does not have a specific policy on red bikes, or blue bikes.

AFAIK bikes aren't banned from huge sections of usable off road trails because they are painted blue.

AFAIK bikes aren’t banned from huge sections of usable off road trails because they are painted blue.

That's all bikes - not just mountain bikes.

And aren't CyclingUk not already working on that ?

You need to go to a completely different website to vote, and you need a two part code to vote.

That's because they just outsourced the voting process to a third party which specialises in it. Not that uncommon for small organisations. The two part code is also really common, although no idea why as both parts come together so no more secure than one part.

Looks like I binned a voting form as well with the magazine.

Anybody would think they’re not interested in our opinion.

Who is the uninterested one? 🤣

I'd have hoped that a mountain biker trustee would be a required part of the structure.

Voted - CUK sent my voting details through this morning after I emailed them.

Reet.

Just back from a spot of (recycling) dumpster diving to retrieve said voting paper. Thankfully I'd not mixed up the recycling bin and the bin for bags of  Labrador effluent this week  🙈.

Thanks @stwhannah for the tip off, and Robin G for his reply too.

Anybody would think they’re not interested in our opinion.

Emailed the site running the vote on Friday, not heard anything back so far...

Who is the uninterested one?

Oh fo'shure, it's on me for not paying attention when it came through the post; but it's not exactly a great advert when a 3rd party highlights the vote to members better than the actual organisation it effects does

Oh fo’shure, it’s on me for not paying attention when it came through the post; but it’s not exactly a great advert when a 3rd party highlights the vote to members better than the actual organisation it effects does

They delivered an actual physical document, separat from the magazine, telling you about it, which you had to put in the bin with your own hands... whereas you'd rather they got someone to post on any internet forums they think their members might happen to read? Yeah, this is their fault.

They delivered an actual physical document, separate from the magazine,

Yes, but there’s also often other bumf in there related to the raffle.

They delivered an actual physical document, separat from the magazine

Thank goodness, I genuinely thought I was going a bit demented, 'cos I didn't remember chucking it away. 

Just flicking through the latest CUK mag and I see @robingrant was elected to the board. Good stuff.

I see @stwhannah is in there too 👀

They delivered an actual physical document, separat from the magazine, telling you about it, which you had to put in the bin with your own hands…

Tbf to whoever chucked it away, I received my CUK mag yesterday, and the first thing I did was to drop all the pointless waste straight into the recycling bin without looking at it. I don't need bird-feeders, or stairlifts, or walk-in baths, or whatever crap they are pushing at the moment. 😀  (And it really annoys me that I have to recycle this literal rubbish.)

Aye, National Trust used to do the same thing. I decided to take some action and shame them (NT) on X/Twitter. The amount of paper covered a counter top in my kitchen and required me to stand on a set of steps to get it all in shot - then straight into recycling with the lot.