Awards Night 2015

Saturday, November 14^th saw that rare occasion when BTS club members swapped their lycra and compression wear for dinner jackets and frocks to celebrate the annual end of season Awards Banquet. With the venerable Christopher Wren hotel providing the backdrop, club members and guests indulged in a post-season glass of champagne, three course meal, a few bottles of vino and a band to boogie to.

This year’s awards were a bit more emotional than most as the evening kicked off by remembering Michael Kennedy, our member, triathlete, friend and press officer who passed away earlier in the year. Tying together Remembrance Sunday with a time to give thanks, Michael’s contribution and passion to the club were honoured with a moment of reflection – and a bit of levity. While Michael was brilliant at getting BTS mentioned in many local papers, he might often be remembered as mixing up the categories and getting our male members reported as female participants!

The awards giving and raffle purchasing continued in earnest throughout the evening as several of the categories were hotly contested. Awards ended up being given three deep in the Most Improved category with Steve Fuller winning overall for the second year in a row, Andrew Bower getting the nod for most improved as a runner and Jessica Padley taking home a pair of speedy shoe covers to celebrate her prowess on the bicycle.

Although we couldn’t entice him to receive his award in person, Darran Messem was recognized for his many years of contribution leading the BTS Saturday bike rides. Retiring this year after 10 years leading and organising EVERY Saturday ride, we toasted Darren’s contribution in what is arguably one of the most difficult bits to lead  – as there’s always a backseat driver. For his efforts, Darran was rewarded with a brand new set of Post It notes to help him navigate across the next 10 years.

All in all, 19 awards were given on the night along with recognizing those individuals qualifying for European and World events who raced on behalf of Great Britain. From the funny, (five, yes five! individuals recognized for their Embarrassing Moments), to the serious, (Contribution to the Club), awards covered almost every aspect of the club.

Once the awards giving was done and all the raffle tickets purchased, our trusted Treasurer, Phil Hodkinson took to the microphone to lead the live auction. Bidding was fast and furious on chances at winning a variety of prizes – from sitting at a table with cycling legends –  to having dinner at the BT Tower – to getting baskets of goodness delivered from Amy’s Kitchen- there was something for everyone. We even few bids were entered by phone so as not to miss out. As a result, combined with those items on the silent auction, the club raised over £2,000 to be split with our chosen charity, Children in Need.

It was a great evening organised by our social team and a good turnout for old and new members alike. You can find the full list of winners below and a link to some of the photos. Thanks everyone for a great night and looking forward to another year of racing and socializing together. Full results and a few photos are included below.