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Tribute given by Alan Jelley
I have been asked to do a short tribute recognising the contribution that Bob Tinley has, and continues to make, to the success of our Club.
Personally I have known and admired Bob from the time I started riding with the Club in 2015. However his history with the club, goes all the way back…actually way back to before anyone can remember ! …but the records do say he took on a Secretary Role in 1995 and has been the Chairman since 2014.
In that time Bob has been an ever-present influence; Never more so than this year when he has guided our club through the immense challenges of celebrating its Centenary against the background and restrictions imposed by Covid. Not only that but the Club has also grown significantly and has a stronger offering of rides and tours for our members.
To me Bob is an absolute icon of what club cycling is about –
As a Club member he is always a great volunteer and contributor to everything we do, and example to us all…his epic solo rides like LEJOG are legendary, and we are all in awe of this his ability to change a tyre without using levers !
As a Ride Leader his routes use his intricate knowledge of every road, lane, and byway within 50 miles of Coventry to produce interesting routes which he then leads on in a calm and encouraging way… wherever possible eagerly leading us down the almost obligatory section of unmade ‘Tinley Trail’.
As an Organiser his Events, like the recent 100km Ride and the TriVets, are a nice balance of challenge and achievability, and are meticulously planned and delivered.
As a Tour Leader he combines all of those attributes to regularly lead the club on adventurous and inspiring trips that perfectly reflect the touring spirit of CTC.
And finally, and probably most importantly, as Club Chairman he has been both a solid foundation and stabiliser for the club over many years, and a driver for many of the good things we have achieved recently, especially the Club Centenary. He is to be admired and respected for his calm and considered approach, his knowledge, and his leadership abilities to hold a Committee together – never an easy thing to achieve in any Club !
Bob, I, and the members as a whole, salute the contribution you have made and continue to make to the success and longevity of CTC Coventry, and we look forward to you taking us into our second century.
As a token of our appreciation Julie Rand has a Certificate to present to Bob