SOUTHAMPTON Cycling Campaign would like to thank all those cyclists who joined the first annual Mark Brummell memorial ride (the Brummell Bummel) on May 26 to celebrate the life of a truly remarkable man who enriched the lives of all who knew him.

Despite our continuing sense of grief and sadness at the loss of an irreplaceable friend and valued campaign member, we were able to focus on happier memories of Mark and we stopped at Ipley Cross to hold a minute’s silence and to give thanks for the privilege of knowing him and for the bikes he built, restored and repaired.

Although the ride was celebratory rather than fundraising, many participants gave money and last week I sent a cheque for £100 to the Cyclists Defence Fund to further the work of its Road Justice Campaign.

Readers who knew Mark will probably have been aware of the huge quantity of bicycles and bike parts he had acquired over the years along with an exceptional collection of tools.

I would like to reassure them that Southampton Cycling Campaign members spent many days sorting through these items and distributing them to good homes and to local bike charities, including Bike2Basics and the Society of St James.

As far as possible we attempted to disperse Mark’s belongings as he would have wished and nothing was wasted that could have some use in the future – a principle Mark himself lived by.

In Mark’s memory Southampton Cycling Campaign has renewed its work to improve cyclists’ safety in the city and intends to continue pressing for improvements at Ipley Cross, where his life was so needlessly cut short.

LINDSI BLUEMEL, secretary, Southampton Cycling Campaign.