In memory of Alison Dex
Thank you to all the Bellas who attended and so generously contributed to Alison’s funeral and wake last week.
Bobby (Roberta) Jaffe-Wilcockson gathered together a team of 7 bellringers to provide a beautiful musical accompaniment to the service. Eleanor Doody organised over 70 BellaVelo themed cupcakes which disappeared in a flash. The attendance at the service was remarkable, with around 400 people there and probably about 70 Bellas — a reflection of how much Alison touched people’s lives.
In lieu of floral tributes we are asked to make a donation to the Royal Trinity Hospice, who took such wonderful care of Alison. The donation link is here. If you purchase a BellaVelo cap, this also includes a donation to the hospice. In 2022 we designed a #ridingfordexy t-shirt to show our support, and these are available here.
We will be holding events in memory and celebration of Alison, starting with the Fish and Chip ride on Saturday 15 June. Details for these will follow on TeamApp.
“Ride and Seek Out Adventure” — Belinda’s memories of Alison
These were Alison’s own words in her note to BellaVelo in January this year when she stepped down from the Club’s Committee due to her declining health. Those of you who knew Alison from her non-cycling activities may also recognise her words and sentiment.
When I first met Alison in 2014 she was a relatively new cyclist who had mastered riding with cleats on a drop handlebar so-called ‘racing’ bike. From this she rapidly developed into an adventurer on two wheels covering pretty much all bike-related disciplines.
From conquering her first Col (mountain) in Calpe, Spain in 2017, to riding the length of Britain from Lands End to John O’Groats in what can only be described as WW1 trenchlike conditions, to tackling some of the most brutal stages of the Tour de France route in 2019 in the high mountains in searing heat AND being nominated as one of the 100 most influential women in cycling that same year, she had quite the journey!
In 2015 Alison and I and a few others, planned developing BellaVelo – previously a shop that organised rides for women – into a community and, later, into a club.
Alison said that she felt that founding and developing BellaVelo was the “most satisfying and personally rewarding” thing she had ever done. I suspect her wonderful husband Pat and children James, Pascale and Olly may beg to differ.
Alison was very much the backbone of the club. It was mainly the two of us to begin, with stalwart help from Alice in particular. We designed the club kit, organised social events, and cooked for them – I can never forget Alison’s exceptional brownies and I still don’t have the recipe! We even organised bike rides!
Talking of the club’s kit, Alison and I were at odds as to the colours. She wanted black (as most people had a pair of black shorts) and I wanted blue. During a brainstorming few days in the Alps and after, dare I say, a few glasses of rosé, Alison said “Let’s arm wrestle for it”. To be honest I have no idea if this is a usual way of resolving disputes in the Dex/Blower household but . . . I won – but only just. I didn’t really take it seriously but Alison kept her word and most of you will know that our kit is now blue.
Notable events that Alison initiated were days out to Whitstable and Shoreham, an urban ride in and around London, plus rides to celebrate the natural wonder of the summer solstice. She also wholeheartedly embraced the relatively new area of cycling – gravel riding. She encouraged others to spend days out on less well travelled paths – often muddy rather than gravelly – sometimes spending nights out in a very low-tech type of tent or bivvy bag to get closer to nature.
For many of you who don’t ride a bike, you may be thinking a bike ride is just a bike ride. But cycling and the experience of cycling extends into many areas of life – building self-confidence, creating friendships and even love. So many of us have become exceptionally good friends and that is in no small part to Alison.
So many people have said how it was Alison that encouraged them to start cycling and explore the world by bike – the start of a life-enhancing journey. Her enthusiasm and personal example of group riding with friends and newcomers, going off-road riding to be surrounded by nature and spending nights under the stars (not to mention sprinting off to get to the café first), and her advocacy of women’s cycling meant so much to so many.
I’d like to finish with Alison’s words again: “Benefit from this most uplifting and supportive unparalleled community of women”. Alison, this is the community you helped build and it will never be the same without you.
— Belinda
Alice’s memories of Alison
I first met Alison at the BellaVelo shop in Surbiton in 2015. Belinda worked in the shop and rides went out from the shop every other Saturday with coffee and cake back in the shop.
I recall Alison’s smile and immaculate lipstick but thinking she was quite “scary” and a seasoned cyclist! How could a first impression be so wrong.
One ride we did was to coincide with La Course, the women’s road race. It was a soaking wet day and we ended up in a bar in Surbiton to watch the race, with Alison needing to borrow some dry clothes off Belinda. Over those few months we cycled together on the shop rides.
When the shop shut after a year, there was a fledgling women’s cycling community emerging. Alison and Belinda were adamant that the closure of the shop shouldn’t mean the end of this group, so a meeting was held at Thames Ditton Marina. After much discussion, rather than forming a club, knowing how much work that would be, it was decided to form a BellaVelo Facebook group to see how much interest that would generate. The page took off and informal rides continued. Around the same time the Queen of the Mountains women’s cycling clothing brand was in its infancy and founder Alicia started Thursday morning QoM laps in Richmond Park. Alison was a huge supporter of this and worked alongside Belinda and Alicia to promote women’s cycling.
It quickly became clear that there was an appetite for a more formal set up for BellaVelo. Alison and Belinda were the driving force and in summer 2017 BellaVelo CC was born. The club logo was obtained from the owner, kit was designed, and ride leaders were identified.
Alison’s enthusiasm was incredible. She had a way of getting people involved to lead and to take on roles within the club. But always at the heart of things was the cycling, from Saturday club rides, to adventures further afield for fish and chips, and the “My First 100 Series” for those building up to riding 100 miles, chiefly for Ride London.
Always finding events to take part in, Alison got a group of us together for RAB (Ride Across Britain) in 2017. I certainly didn’t think I had the skill or the fitness to ride for, on average, 100 miles a day for nine days, but Alison’s enthusiasm just made these things seem possible. The Tour of Cambridge was another example, where she qualified to go to the Amateur World Championships in Albi in France.
Alison was expert at researching events and causes to take part in and support, whether that was Chase the Sun (sadly Alison wasn’t able to take part as she was injured), Le Loop, working with Hot Chillee to train Ride Leaders, or supporting OMC — the list is never-ending. At the heart of all this was the promotion of women’s cycling and at the same time to have fun.
Latterly Alison researched gravel bikes and finally settled on the Curve brand supplied by G!RO in Esher. She worked closely with Danny and Jamie and secured a deal by which several Bellas bought bikes. The adventures that followed were wonderful, exploring off-road trails in several parts of the country, including the inaugural Pennine Rally, which she said was her favourite event.
— Alice
“Keep cycling my friends and keep enjoying . . .”
Alison left these encouraging words to all the BellaVelos:
Coming as a newbie to cycling in 2015 and then setting up BellaVelo with the mightily experienced Belinda in 2018 has been the most satisfying, as well as personally rewarding, thing I've ever done. It has enhanced all aspects of my life, not only with the many new friends made, but also in the events, rides and places it has introduced me to. It has often lead me to accomplish challenges I wouldn't have dreamed the pre-cycling me was capable of. But perhaps the thing I will treasure most from being a Bella is the self-propelled adventures I've enjoyed with special friends; nights under the stars, rides to the sea, rides through the hills and up and down the country, trips on ferries - big and small stuff, shared, relished, laughed over and sometimes cried at - but all life-enhancing and that have all intensified my rich bank of memories.
In life in general I've always preferred the simple pleasures and cycling has been no different; whooshing in a line with club mates on smooth tarmac with the wind behind you, coming home after a great club ride; a good coffee and cake no matter where; cycling in the dark at the end of an audax with the group's lights projecting a halo of protective beam; arriving at the seaside for fish and chips after a long, sweaty outing in mid summer; a lovely clean descent when you're sure of the road ahead; and my favourite, newly-found love of riding off-road across the countryside, never really knowing where you're going, but surrounded by nature in all its unutterable, constant beauty and variety; and always, always able to look around at your friends to know they feel the same about it all, with no need for explanation.
While a regret of having to deal with the cancer, four surgeries and chemo is that I haven't been able to road ride and get to know our many, new members whereas I once prided myself in knowing everyone in the club, on the plus side I have been overwhelmed at the constant and enormous outpouring of support and love sent my way by the BV community since my diagnosis last April. Its been the worst 20 months imaginable and relentless in its bad news, physical onslaughts and mental distress. But I've experienced kindness, thoughtfulness, selflessness and generosity, as well as amazing and unexpected conversations with Bellas, and for all of these things, and for the support from you all, I can only thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Keep cycling my friends and keep enjoying. Ride and seek out adventure as often as you can. Benefit from this most uplifting and supportive, unparalleled community of women - all ordinary and yet extraordinary too. Much love and carpe diem.
— Alison
Fitting tribute to an incredible lady. We miss you Alison xx