CTC Cambridge

Monday 21 February 2022 

Former CTC Cambridge member Jacqueline reports on her experiences of volunteering for LEL in previous years. Jacqueline writes: I've been volunteering with LEL since 2009. Over this time it has developed in numbers of riders, provision of support, organisation, and atmosphere and I would recommend taking part as a volunteer not only to support the riders but also if you are thinking of riding it in the future.

I have chosen my checkpoint, either as the nearest to my home, which allows me to cycle there, or as a place I wish to explore during time down. There is usually ground space for a tent and I have found this useful for undisturbed sleep breaks.

Volunteers can work at the checkpoints for any number of hours or days. I have always allowed a full week and made a 'holiday' of it. This year there is to be a special forces group of volunteers who will give support to checkpoints that require it over the full week.

The controller will probably have been attending meetings since the previous event and volunteers who are there for their first time will have lots of support and guidance setting up of the checkpoint and rotating in duties. Often local communities/school children get involved, decorating the venue, inside and out, in a festive and welcoming manner. One year the local school children researched the countries of riders and made flags for each country.

As the riders commence the event, controllers are in radio contact and aware when the first riders are approaching their checkpoint, so that food and rest areas are fully prepared. Volunteers who are cyclists will be aware that riders don't always want a meal according to the time of day but related more to the terrain they have ridden or the one ahead.

As they return the riders will often say why they looked forward to that particular checkpoint. That information is important to the controller, for the next event, but can also develop a streak of competitiveness between the checkpoints.

In the more northern and southern areas there will be a time when no riders are passing and that is a wonderful time to explore the area or have a group down time.

Some people volunteer because they know a rider but when the riders are returning most of the volunteers find they are looking out for people they saw on the way north. Of course, on the southern route the riders are more tired and it's a privilege to be able to support them and later hear that they have reached London. Jacqueline