Category: Memories of Paul Whitehead

Although never being on a tour with Paul, Margaret and I rode with him on a number of Sunday rides and enjoyed his good humour and company.
Paul would be chuffed if he thought his name was attached to the Air Ambulance collection.
He will be sadly missed.

Paul was a very good friend to everyone in the Club, was always ready to help and always had something pleasant to say.

Apart from riding with Paul on our regular weekly rides, we had toured extensively together and with others. Sometimes the going got tough when we perhaps pushed ourselves a little more than we should, but Paul was always up for the challenge. Paul soon gained a reputation for producing videos, which are also on our website and you can see how much he enjoyed cycle touring.

Paul organised our tour to the Isle of Man in 2018, when the toughest part involved taking a very hilly route back home from Lancaster through the Pennines. I don’t think I realised how ill Paul was then, but he broke off from the tour twice travelling home for hospital appointments and back to re-join the tour. Any lesser person would have said “sorry” and absented themselves… not so Paul.

We used to rely on Paul to support all our events and to take a leading organisational role… Paul you will be sadly missed.

Paul was always good going up hill
He did a brilliant video of the Normandy tour with the musical backing of :
I’m only human by Rag and Bone man
Living a long way from Paul I didn’t see that much of him but the time on the tours in his company was specially memorable to me – great company and always a gentleman.
Really sad Re his departing.
Tony

That is the most terrible news. My friends seem to be dying like flies, but Paul was someone special.

Love to all

Simon

Sad news indeed!

I only knew him for a short while, so I don’t have any stories, but I am
very glad to have had the chance to make his acquaintance.

Possibly when we hand over the collection to the AA, we could do it in his
name? It was clearly a cause that was dear to his heart.

Sak

Paul was a friend, and will be best remembered for his videos and his humour.
Paul enjoyed helping others, and as a Ride Leader he always put extra effort into trying to come up with fresh & original routes, such as Appletree & Cropredy.
In August 2015, Paul led a ride to the Hare & Hounds at Wardington, near Banbury.
Either, everybody was on holiday or there must have been a bad weather forecast, because Paul & I were the only two riders to continue from the coffee break at Draycote Water.
When we eventually reached the pub it was just beginning to rain. To me, the pub seemed a bit grotty & smelt strongly of ‘damp’ dogs, but Paul quickly struck up a conversation with the owner of the dogs (the landlord).
Paul was never a big eater at lunchtime, I was okay, as I had some food in my rack bag, Paul made do with a packet of dry roasted peanuts (and shared them). After we’d finished our drinks it was still raining, we decided to sit it out for a bit, but it didn’t stop and it was still raining when we decided to leave. When we got outside the rain was torrential (like standing under a drainpipe). Paul was soon ready to go, but I dropped my keys and had trouble finding them, then I had a problem undoing my bike lock. Paul waited patiently, but we were thoroughly soaked before we even set off.
Firstly, we had to do a short stretch along the A361 Banbury Road. The A361 is never pleasant, it can be busy and the road surface is rough in places due to crazing. But there was so much standing water, you couldn’t even see the road surface or where the potholes were, and the constant spray from the passing cars made it even more miserable. So we just put our heads down and pedalled as fast as we could to get it over and done with as quickly as possible. We were glad to reach the country lanes near Cropredy, where we felt safer, the rain eased off and we could relax a little. We were due to go to Hunningham Hill Farm for tea, but I think we went straight home.

Paul repeated the ride about nine months later, and on that occasion the weather was kinder and the ride was better attended.

Kevin Rourke

There were two tours I did with Paul. The first was to Normandy in May 2017. The photos below are all taken on this holiday. The second was a camping tour to a lovely site at Hanley Swan, south of Malvern and lead by Paul. He did a great job planning excellent rides there and back, and a great hilly ride to Ross on Wye. All the detail of the tour was superbly detailed, including some excellent pubs to eat It was great to be able to start and end at home. The tour was well supported to Paul’s credit.

But Paul will be missed by the group for much more than touring. He was always great company and willing to help whatever the situation. My lasting memory of him was when we discovered a pop-up bar on a club ride, one lovely Sunday afternoon in Snitterfield . I’m sure it was Paul who was the first to the bar, and we were soon sitting round very relaxed on bales of straw pint in hand. One of those magic moments with him.

A few links we have on our club website of videos that he prepared might bring out some of the wonderful fun side of his character …. and maybe add in another piece into the jigsaw of a life well lived.

Pauls look back of recent tours the club had done

To Yorkshire

To the Isle of Wight

To Normandy

And Paul’s final Tour that he led to the Isle of Man, in the most trying of circumstances as he battled with the effects of the tumour.

A couple of videos he prepared to support the Air Ambulance collection he organised for the Clubs Centenary

And finally a very poignant link …

… with much of Paul’s character shining through even in the difficult times that I feel he knew he was facing.