Saturday 31 December 2011

GBR GOOD NEWS

As we leave 2011, we have two bits of good news:

First, The Finchley Society, will be sponsoring the Greenacre Bicycle Rally for 2012 (GBR2012 10th June) - fantastic news, and our thanks to FinSoc.

Secondly, GBR founder, and Green Spaces and Sustainable Transport Coordinator for the Greenacre Project, met with the Leader of Barnet Council, Councillor Richard Cornelius, a couple of months ago. Among Mike's concerns was the anti-cycling campaign that had been started by Dennis Pepper, Friends of Windsor Open Space.

The brook is an important green space, not just for breathing fresher air, walking but also for cycling. It's the perfect place for parents wishing to teach their children how to ride a bicycle. Dennis Pepper had been trying to ban bikes from the brook!!

GBR suggested to Councillor Cornelius, that the no cycling signs be removed and replaced with cycle/pedestrian friendly signs. Councillor Cornelius agreed to have the no-cycling signs removed.

We are pleased to report that on a recent Christmas ride, we went via Windsor Open Space and joy of joys, the no-cycling signs have been removed.

Happy cycling in 2012!!!!!!

If you pre-register for the rally, this will save time on the day. Click on the link below:

Greenacre Bicycle Rally 2012 Registration Form

Saturday 3 December 2011

Bikes and music to support the Campaign against Climate Change

Some of us went to support the Campaign against Climate Change march in central London today.

Share photos on twitter with Twitpic

Wednesday 30 November 2011

Greenacre Bicycle Rally 10th June 2012

Great meeting this evening. Now we need volunteers, stewards, funding and YOU!!!

The countdown has begun.....

Sunday 4 September 2011

Sky Ride 4th September 2011

At Mill Hill Broadway on our way to the 2011 Skyride
Must not forget Oscar!!
Where have all the riders gone?
Oh! There they are...
What a wonderful experience to cycle on busy London roads without the traffic - such a fantastic experience for children - brilliant day out...same time next year?

Sunday 12 June 2011

The Greenacre Bicycle Rally in the rain.


It rained, and rained and rained but still the riders came to make the fourth Greenacre Bicycle rally a success!

An impressive number, including many of our young riders, did both legs of the journey arriving at Barnet Countryside Centre, where we could find some shelter!

More pictures soon.

Thanks to all who took part.


Tuesday 7 June 2011

London Borough of Barnet Denies Grant for Greenacre Bicycle Rally

We have just been informed that London Borough of Barnet will not be giving us a grant for this year's rally.

In the previous three years Barnet has awarded a small but helpful grant (192.00 for 2008 and 2009 and 400.00 for 2010). LBB does nothing to promote cycling in the borough and so The Greenacre Bicycle Rally is doing so, in the spirit of Mayor Boris Johnson's message to promote safe cycling throughout London. It is the only event of its kind in the borough, and yet we are denied a grant, in spite of the borough's grant co-ordinator recommending the event being given the same amount as last year. Neighbouring LB Enfield promotes and totally funds a similar event. It won't come as a surprise that the councillor who decided not to award this money was none other than the one who has axed funding to the borough's museums, resulting in their closure, and is desperately trying to get rid of libraries. It seems sad that we cannot be given the same amount as one LBB councillor chose to spend on one taxi fare.

Saturday 4 June 2011

Countdown to the 2011 Greenacre Bicycle Rally 12th June

Today is the day!

Pre-registration has now closed but you can check in at the rally up to 11.30am so come and join us.

Brink your bike and sunshine.

See you there.


Friday 27 May 2011

Rickshaw Rider Required


Rickshaw rider needed! Please apply. Our Greenacre Bicycle rally rickshaw rider for the last two years is unable to join us this year so if you fancy the challenge on June 12th, or know anyone who might, let us know.

Wednesday 4 May 2011

Greenacre Bicycle Rally 2011 Registration

Sunday June 12th 2011

100s of bicycles – Dr Bike at 10am – Novelty bikes

Join us for the 4th annual Greenacre Bicycle Rally.

If you pre-register for the rally, this will save time on the day. Click on the link below:

Greenacre Bicycle Rally 2011 Registration Form

Friday 29 April 2011

Finchley Society Sponsors GBR

Our thanks to the Finchley Society for sponsoring the 2011 Greenacre Bicycle Rally.

The Finchley Society was founded in 1971 by a group of local residents, when a row of Victorian cottages, built in 1829, was under threat of demolition in Lodge Lane.

Jean Scott, the founder of the Society, and at that time the Greater London Council member for Finchley, enlisted the support of Spike Milligan, then living in Holden Road, and of Bill Tyler, a local architect. This battle was won, but the pressure from developers is even greater today. Spike was later to become the Finchley Society Patron.

The Finchley Society was formed in 1971 to protect, preserve and improve buildings, transport, roads and open spaces in Finchley and Friern Barnet and their environs, and to explore the history and the special features of the area. The Finchley Society covers the old Borough of Finchley and the Urban District of Friern Barnet, now part of the London Borough of Barnet, and takes an interest in most aspects of life in the community.

The Society is supported purely by donations and subscriptions. All their work is done by volunteers. The Society is independent of the Borough Council and of all political parties. They belong to the London Forum and the London Civic Forum.

Finchley Society

Saturday 2 April 2011

Greenacre Bicycle Rally 2011

Sunday June 12th 2011

100s of bicycles – Dr Bike at 10am – Novelty bikes

Join us for the 4th annual Greenacre Bicycle Rally.



The cycling event of the year, nothing else like it in the borough of Barnet. The rally is in two stages: first stage, a triangular route round Finchley, Friern Barnet and Whetstone, and the second stage is a green ride that follows the scenic route along Dollis Brook to Barnet for the finish at the Barnet Countryside Centre where there will be an environment fair and refreshments.

Assemble outside artsdepot, North Finchley, N12 0GA
10am for a 12noon departure

Tel: 020 8346 5503 for more information

Also please see our Greenacre Project Facebook page and 'like' us!

Friday 1 April 2011

The Greenacre Bicycle Rally

Sunday 12th June 2011 10am-4pm

Everyone is agreed that we must now reduce our use of motor cars and move towards more sustainable forms of transport. Much is being done to promote public transport and walking short distances is also important. Another key solution is CYCLING.

Cycling has much to commend it: apart from the sustainability issue it can be great fun and a great way to get fit. It is very low cost and low maintenance, very practical, especially for short journeys and fully compatible with other forms of transport – especially RAILWAYS. The GLA, TfL and other groups are doing much to promote the use of cycles and whilst cycle use is visibly going up in central London there is less evidence of this in the suburbs. Something needs to be done to raise use and aware- ness of the bicycle in our area. Thus were sown the seeds of the Greenacre Bicycle Rally.

The first ever Greenacre Bicycle Rally took place on June 15th 2008 and when we set out to stage this event we had no idea what the outcome would be. However we need not have worried - 138 cyclists turned up on the day. We repeated the event in 2009 and 2010, live musical entertainment was added and the number of cyclists went up to 169. This year, with your help, we hope to do even better. The Greenacre Bicycle Rally is the first event of its kind to be held in the Borough of Barnet and is now becoming an annual mid-June fixture. The colourful massed cycles will still be seen in the streets of North Finchley, Friern Barnet and Whetstone and once again there will be the popular more traditional green ride to Barnet with a grand finale at the Byng Road Countryside Centre to coincide with their annual Environment Fayre.

Cyclists will assemble on the paved area outside artsdepot from 10am for a 12 o’clock start. Please note: cyclists must register for the rally, please allow time for registration – the registration table will shut at 11.30am – better still pre-register: Greenacrebicyclerally@gmail.com

There will be a Dr Bike stand giving free bike safety checks from 10am-11.30am. This will be for minor or routine repairs/adjustments. If you have a non-minor problem with your bike, please get in touch beforehand and we can help/advise.

There will be an area set aside to help decorate children’s bikes with flags, balloons, windmills etc. Again, please turn up early if you want your bike decorated.
At 12.00pm we will set out on a triangular 3.5 mile circuit from artsdepot N12 0GA to Friern Barnet, past Friary Park, up to Whetstone and back down the High Road to artsdepot. The pace will be leisurely, and the rally will be suitable for cyclists of all ages and abilities.

The rally will be accompanied by trained stewards, police cyclists, mobile Dr Bike and a St John Ambulance cyclist. There will be prizes for fancy dress, ‘bling your bike’, and the best turned out troop or group. We will be encouraging flags, banners, & musical instruments. The emphasis will be on a fun day out and we hope to see many unusual cycles.

On reaching Friary Park for the second time, we will make our lunchtime ‘pit stop’. Tasty home-made snacks and drinks will be available and after a leisurely stop we will set out on the second part of the rally at approximately 2pm. This will take the form of a more traditional green ride to Byng Road Countryside Centre. We will follow a very pleasant route along the Dollis Valley Greenway. This final leg is 4.25 miles and again the pace will be leisurely. The whole event will be very visual and will include many fancy, decorated and unusual cycles. It will be a fun spectacle for shoppers and passers-by as well. It never ceases to amaze us the effect that massed bicycles have on the casual observer.

WHAT WILL THE BICYCLE RALLY ACHIEVE?

● Massed cyclists having a fun time
● A fun spectacle for all passers by
● A demonstration that cycling is a
viable form of transport
● Greater Barnet Council involvement
in cycling issues

E-mail: greenacrebicyclerally@gmail.com