I’ve included a lot more photos of our Taff Trail riders and supporters.  Many are taken from video footage so the size and quality may be poorer, but nevertheless they’re worth showing (I hope).  The preparation of a commemorative DVD is underway and should be available next week.

It’s worth reiterating that this was a fabulous achievement by all involved, especially since many of the riders have previously had no involvement with the choir and it’s hoped this will inspire others to come forward and help us out when needed.  Plans are underway for a similar event during our 50th Anniversary year to raise funds for other deserving charities and we’re confident it will prove an even greater success.  Well done everybody!

Lyn

Many thanks are due to all the supporters who gave up their time and expense to back up the Sponsored Taff Trail Bike Ride.  Not least among these are the local businesses that provided food, drinks and accessories to help the choir meet its targets.  Without them our task to complete the Taff Trail would have been a lot harder.  Photographs below show Sharon at Bargain Booze, Sarah at 599 Cycles, James at Halfords, Newport and Sean Ford in Caldicot  Market. Not forgetting Monmouthshire Passenger Transport Unit (COACHES), Caldicot Waitrose who supplied food and drinks and Inanda Events for giving us high energy bars and drinks. All donations were very welcome and thanks again to everyone.

Thanks must also go to chorister Matthew Hallsworth of Sound Sensations (web site Sound Sensations) for providing the evening disco and also for donating his disco services as a raffle prize, and of course to all those anonymous people who donated raffle prizes on the night.

T-shirts were printed and provided at a generous discount by Elephant Moon Ltd. of Christchurch, Newport.

Press Release

The wheels of twenty seven bikes went round and round as choristers and other supporters pedalled the 55 miles of the Taff Trail from Brecon Canal Basin to Cardiff Bay where they came to rest some 7 hours later, exhausted, but triumphant at the Millenium Centre.

Early in the morning of 19th August at the Choir Hall, fortified with bacon butties, tea and coffee (expertly cooked by Wyn Goodwin), the riders and bikes were transported, with their bikes in tow, to Brecon Canal Basin and set off,  initially in cloudy skies along the tow-path towards Pencelli.  They rode undaunted in torrential rain through the Brecon Beacons National Park to Talybont Reservoir and on up the steep wooded climb of over 7 miles through the deep and dark Taf Fechan Forest to rest alongside babbling brooks just below the 2538 ft. Waun Rydd mountain before the downhill ride to Ponsticill, just in time for the rain to stop.

With a little time to dry out and following running repairs to both bodies and bikes, the team carried on to the Brecon Mountain Railway station to Cefn Coed viaduct and then pressed on, as the sun came out, past Merthyr Tydfil outskirts before following the River Taff edge before a well deserved, short break at Troed-y-Rhiw.  Inspired by the thought of lunch at a pub in Quaker’s Yard the bikers tore through the steep sided valley, while the support teams and buses sped alongside down the A470 towards Pontypridd. Unfortunately the photographers and bus drivers missed the lunch at the pub because they were waiting further down the trail.  Never mind!

Catching a glimpse of the riders as they sped through Ynysangharad Park at Pontypridd but with no place to park,  the support teams were not able to meet up with the bikers until they reached Nantgarw.  After a brief stop for refreshment and to mend a puncture, the riders continued on at breakneck speed, in blistering heat, over the final 12 miles through Taff’s Well, Radyr, Castell Coch and Llandaff, into Cardiff.  Pedalling on through Sophia Gardens and the Swalec Stadium, over busy Cowbridge Road East near the golden, ornate, tower of Cardiff Castle and on down past the home of Welsh Rugby, the Millenium Stadium on the opposite bank of the Taff, for the final leg to Cardiff Bay and the  Millenium Centre to arrive only 30 minutes late at 5-30pm.

Backed by the magnificent Millenium Centre and adorned in their commemorative T-shirts for photographs of the completion of their monumental achievement, since few of the riders had much experience of riding a bike over this distance, everyone was transported back to Mill Lane, Caldicot from where they made a triumphant ride, in glorious sunshine to be met at the Choir Hall by over 50 cheering and clapping supporters, including the Mayor of Caldicot, Mr Jim Higginson.

Everyone then moved into the choir hall, to the sound of the Push Bike song, to well earned refreshments at the bar and to a courtesy barbecue (sponsored by Waitrose, Caldicot) cooked by Jason Dawe assisted by Tommy Hole and John MacCarthur and  a lively disco provided by Top tenor Matthew Hallsworth.  Speeches of thanks were given by chairman, Leon Jones, chorister Tony Griffiths and the achievements of everyone involved were applauded by Mayor,  Jim Higginson.  A raffle with several prizes was organised by bass chorister Ron Powell.  The evening included a short interval where some forty or so choristers, led by Siân Hatton and accompanied by John Nicholson sang Llanfair, Fields of Athenry and The Gypsy to an enthralled audience.  Many of our guests, particularly the younger ones, had never heard a Welsh Male Voice Choir in live performance before and from the look on their faces they were astounded and captivated by the sight and sound.

The members of the choir, as a result of having its own Choir Hall are able to expand into many other social activities to bring us all into the Caldicot Male Voice Choir family, where not only our fundamental hobby of choral singing can be practiced and enjoyed, but choristers can join in and enjoy a wider social life   From small beginnnings, the sponsored bike ride, the brainchild of baritone and cyclist, Tony Griffiths to help raise funds for our 50th Anniversary celebrations next year grew and grew and it can be said that the turning of the bike wheels represents a turning point in the social life of the choir.  It was brilliant to see this event so well supported by choristers, visitors and locals alike and it can be safely said, from comments received that a fabulous day was had by all and may events of this kind continue to be so well supported in the future.

RIDERS:

Choristers:   Tony Griffiths,  Leon Jones, Graham Hughes, Alyn Dawe, Karl Gregory, Anthony Howells, Stephen Davies, Grahame Morton, Ron Griffiths.

Guests: Michael Griffiths, Andy Williams, Zena Summerall, Alan Cates, Jonathan Coulson,  Steve Hill, Stephanie French, Aude Cazenave, Daniel Mazurek, Nick Powell, Dai Lynch, Keith and Deb Swain, Sue Murphy, Lewis Stott, Steve Gribble, Bill Lake, David Craven.

SUPPORT TEAMS:

Drivers:    Dave Kirton (bus), Steve Lewis (bus),  Mark Jones (with son Ethan and Leon’s son Rhys) (bikes), Sharon Davies and Theresa Howells (bikes)

Photography:  Lyn and Coll Gauntlett

Support:  Siân Hatton and Dai Gould (Medical), Richie Llewellyn (with son Bevan), Theo Roberts, Dave Currie, Pat Morton, Roger and Maggie Matthews (Food and drink stops, emergency recovery)

Catering:  Jason Dawe, Tommy Hole, John MacCarthur (Barbecue), Ron Powell (Raffle and collection), Roger Francis, Wyn Goodwin, Paul Thomas and Dave Kirton (bar).

Disco: Matthew Hallsworth

T-shirts:  Chris Thomas, Elephant Moon Ltd, Christchurch, Newport

Sponsors:

Bargain Booze, Caldicot, Waitrose, Caldicot, 599 Cycles, Chepstow, Halfords, Newport, Ford’s Fruit and Veg, Caldicot, Inanda Events (energy drinks), Monmouthshire Passenger Transport Unit (COACHES)

Many thanks to our sponsors and guests for making this a superb occasion.

Lyn

Early in the morning, on Sunday 19th August, 11 intrepid riders from the choir and 22 choir supporters will meet at the choir hall at 7-30am (organised by Dave Kirton) and be taken by mini-bus to Brecon canal basin to start the marathon ride to Cardiff Bay.  This is a sponsored event, organised by baritone Tony Griffiths and 2nd Tenor Spike Hughes to raise funds for the choir’s 50th Anniversary year celebrations and events.  Some choristers have spent several past Sundays practising for this as is obvious from their eagerness to stand during practice on Mondays.  Shirley Ann would be proud.

The ride of over 55 miles, mostly off road,  will take them from Brecon to the picturesque Talybont reservoir, up over the hills backdropped by the majestic Brecon Beacons and then down into Merthyr.  From there the ride will follow the famous river Taff, past Pontypridd, Taffs Well, Radyr and then into Cardiff.  Riding past the Millenium Stadium, the route borders the Yacht Basin and Cardiff Bay Wildfowl reserve to finish at the Millenium Centre or the Senedd at about 5-30pm.  A support team of  15 choristers and wives will be on hand to provide refreshments and first aid (Siân and Dai) where required at various points along the route.

The riders will then be taken home to change and then to meet up again at the Choir Hall for a celebratory Barbecue, thanks to Jason Dawe and Ron Powell (collection buckets will be on hand for donations to the cost of the barbecue), a few well deserved pints followed by an Afterglow, raffle and disco provided by top tenor, Matthew Hallsworth. Soft cushions will be provided if needed.  We understand that the Mayor of Caldicot, Jim Higginson will be among the supporters to welcome our bike riders back to the hall

All the participants and backroom boys are to be congratulated for their involvement and extreme commitment to this event and we call upon all choristers and their families, neighbours and friends to come along to give the lads and lady riders their full support at the evening’s celebrations, especially since so many of the riders have, until now, had no involvement with the choir but are still prepared to give their time and considerable effort.  Let’s give our guests a day to remember and perhaps (you never know) they may wish to join the choir.

T-shirts (no yellow jerseys, sorry), bearing the choir badge on the front and the Bike Ride logo on the back, will be worn for photo stops and after the ride.  These were designed by Lyn Gauntlett and printed by Elephantmoon in Newport.  Lyn and Coll will be taking photos and videos along the route, so let’s see plenty of smiles!  We intend to make a commemorative DVD of the ride so any other photos taken en-route would be very welcome.

Press Release