The C.A.Rhodes Memorial lifetime achievement award is to be made to Bryan Peel in recognition of over sixty years of administrative and support work in furtherance of the sport of cycling.

The memorial was instigated in 1961 as a tribute to the memory of Charles Arthur Rhodes (1895-1961) doyen of the Yorkshire Road Club, co-founder in 1932 of the Yorkshire Cycling Federation and a nationally recognised timekeeper and administrator. This is the First Lifetime Achievement Award ever given by The Memorial. The Award is regarded as the greatest distinction Yorkshire Cycling can bestow.

Peel joined the Drighlington B.C. in 1947 at the age of 12 years and in the 1950’s and 60’s he helped local school children to pass the Cycle Proficiency Scheme. In 1956 Peel became the Club secretary an Office he still holds.

Bryan was elected to the Yorkshire Cycling Federation Executive Committee in 1963 and was their Secretary from 1970 to 2010. Also on becoming a Trustee of The Andy Wilson Memorial 50 he organised the event from 1979 to 2009. He became a Trustee of the C.A. Rhodes Memorial in 1989 a position he still holds.

Peel was a British Cycling commissaire from 1976 to 2008 including officiating in the first 11 years of the Otley Town Centre Races as well as many other events. He was the British Cycling (then the British Cycling Federation) West Yorkshire Registrar from 1980 to 2000 issuing an average of 800 racing and membership licences each year.

Peel was National Delegate for BC on several occasions and was rewarded by being awarded the prestigious BCF Division Badge of Honour in 1994 and more recently the British Cycling Certificate of Merit.

Peel was described in his award citation as “a quiet, modest and unassuming man”. The citation went on to say that “few cyclists will know of Bryan’s immense amount of work and achievements but despite this he was nevertheless always willing to help out at events. All of this has enabled Yorkshire to remain in the forefront of all facets of Cycling and Bryan richly deserves the First Lifetime Achievement Award ever given by The Memorial.”

The award will be presented at the Drighlington BC Club Dinner on the 20th January 2012.