GOSPORT BRANCH
Established 1981
President - Captain Chris Groves
Vice President - Les Catlin BEM
Chairman - Steve Thorpe MBE



Latest cycle tour by the Gosport Branch Cycling Group February 2025
Dear Members,
It’s been a few months since I did an update on the Gosport Branch cycling group. As you are probably aware the team completed the South Downs Way cycle ride in April last year and in doing so raised £2600 for the branch charity Veterans Outreach Support.
Since then, the team (Hector MacCallum, Peter Mullice, Kevin Ayton, Ian French, Pete Davies, John Buffery and Ron Gordon) have continued to cycle together at least once a week and as can be seen from the photos the team has managed to cycle through the winter months despite the freezing conditions and inclement weather.
You may ask why we do this. Simply put its because:
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We really enjoy each other’s company.
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The dit spinning is endless and mostly funny especially from Peloton Pete (Davies) and his stories of swimming the Atlantic.
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We have a local historian in Peter Mullice an ex-teacher who has lived in this area all his life and cycled all over Hampshire and Sussex. So, during the rides, we have stops to admire some of the many historic and beautiful buildings that are spread around our wonderful countryside.
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We meet up with many interesting people from all walks of life.
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We now have a regular stop at a little village called Hawkley where every Tuesday lunch time the residents of the village meet up at the local cricket club for tea, coffee and cakes. We initially stumbled on this by accident when looking for a pub and ever since we have been made very welcome especially by one of the Army veterans who insists on telling us corny jokes!!
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Not only is it good for your fitness levels it does wonders for our wellbeing.
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We regularly cycle to visit two of our shipmates (Andy Burns and David Ottley) who are residents at the RNBT care home Admiral Jellicoe House. At Christmas we joined the residents for lunch and were made very welcome.
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We keep in touch with each other, when not cycling, through our WhatsApp group where the dit spinning continues but also it is another means of growing our friendship. Currently two of our members are in Australia and still get out cycling and sending us lovely photos of their experiences.
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I have lived for over 40 years in Hampshire and over the last 3 years of cycling I have seen far more of the county than I did in the previous 37 years.
If you would like to join the team or find out more about it then please contact me at rongordon58@gmail. Remember, we are no spring chickens. Three of us are 80 or older, two are in late 70’s and two in their 60’s.
Regards Ron













