To all fellow club members,
I regret to have to inform you that our dear old cycling friend Roly died last Saturday afternoon, 11th February.
It is a long time now that Roly cycled with us, but old-time members of the club will have known him from years back. He was a lovely man, very gracious and tall with a large-framed steel bicycle. He was a true hard-rider, a long-time member also of the Charlotteville Cycling Club in Guildford. Even in his Seventies he completed the LEL (London-Edinburgh-London) classic non-stop and regulars at the Ripley Bike Jumble will remember him as a regular welcoming presence on the door. He was until very recently a very active member of the Guildford Travel Club, where he was formerly Treasurer, and I always looked forward to meeting him there and having a chat with him and his lovely wife Ann. He was there at the meetings before Christmas as cheerful as ever, always interested in the world around him.
Roland had been suffering considerable back pain since December and after two scans it was confirmed on 20th January that the lymphoma had returned. Whilst it was hoped that chemo would prolong his life he was only well enough to have two treatments and was admitted to the RSCH last Tuesday. Ann said that the family are all dazed at the speed of Roland’s illness.
I shall try to find out when the funeral is and let you know.
Paul Gillingham