It is with great sadness that we announce the recent death of our President Vern (Vernal) McClelland. Vern leaves behind his wife Andrea and four children Becky, Sean, Katherine and Neil. Vern played an important role in Sussex track cycling and indeed took part in officiating as a Commissaire at a national level in both road and track. Vern showed a commitment to local cycle sport and, although ill for a number of years, was still commissairing up until last season.
Racing SCRL track league in the 1980s and 1990s he combined this with being our race Promoter during much of that period. He was for many seasons our most prolific commissaire and coached at Preston Park Youth Cycle Club at its outset.
Vern was not alone in being the only contributor in his family to the SCRL and further afield; wife Andrea ran a renowned tea room from beside the final banking, where many spectators spent their entire evening drinking tea, eating Andrea’s home bakes and watching the racing. Son Neil was an original member of PPYCC and he, alongside his siblings Sean and Katherine, raced SCRL track league over many seasons. Katherine is currently working for British Cycling in Manchester whilst Andrea, Sean and Neil pleasingly visited us at track league last Wednesday 17th July.
Andrea tells us that “Vern’s funeral service will be on the 30th July @2.30pm at Hd Tribes in Shoreham. The service will be live streamed on the day and also recorded if you’re not able to make it on the day. There is a donation page to raise money for St Barnabas house who were absolutely amazing with the care that was given to Vern throughout his battle with cancer.” This link takes you to the Hd Tribes website where you can find out more about the location.
https://www.love2donate.co.uk/inmemory/identify_name.php?currentpage=1&chosen=69299&adstate=Y
British Cycling also published an obituary on their website: https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/article/20240710-Obituary–Vern-McClelland-0