At the AGM on Wednesday 13th November 2019 Andy Cawdell stepped down as Co-ordinator, a role that also involved Chairing all our meetings. Andy was presented with a copy of Magnum Cycling (see photo). In the book we wrote “In appreciation of your leadership during 6 years as Chair/Co-ordinator of Southwark Cyclists. You have inspired and guided us with good humour.  It’s been great.” The inside cover was signed by a bunch of us. Andy assured us that he was not disappearing and expected to still be active in the group

We will certainly miss his major contributions. Amongst these have been, running the Dunwich Dynamo transport, initiating and taking part in the Road Works Patrols with TfL and the Met, and setting up the bi-monthly Dr Bikes (and attending pretty much every one). Unsurprisingly Andy was this year also given a special award for “outstanding contributions to cycle campaigning” by our parent organisation the London Cycling Campaign (see blog post Oct 17th 2019).

Taken together with the organisational changes agreed at the AGM, this feels, as Francis Bernstein put it a recent e-mail, a bit like “the end of an era”. The AGM approved a new structure where the Co-ordinator just co-ordinates. The Secretary just deals with group business. The meetings are run on a rota of volunteers. The plan is for volunteers to minute a meeting, then produce the Agenda for the following meeting and act as Chair. More on this will be in the AGM minutes.