PORT SUNLIGHT WHEELERS... Wirral based Cycling Club

Port Sunlight Wheelers was formed in 1948 by a group of soapworkers from the world famous Lever

Brothers soap factory in Port Sunlight to provide escape from the austerity of the immediate post war years. The Sunlight organised runs to the surrounding beauty spots of rural Cheshire and North Wales and as the years passed, the club became open to non-Unilever employees.

The fifties saw the "Wheelers" begin to make an impression on the local racing scene and by the sixties Sunlight riders were gaining national success. The club held the team competition record for 30 miles during the heyday of British Time trialing.

Photograph taken (date unknown) at the Road Time Trials held by Port Sunlight Wheelers.

The eighties were a watershed for both British road racing and the Sunlight, the World Championships and Tour de France in this country, televised criteriums and plenty of top events with good prizes. Barely a week passed without a Sunlight victory, the club was a full-time racing outfit.

By the nineties the Sunlight were winding down their racing activities, this was mirrored by a downturn in British road racing. Time trialing was again an area of success for the Sunlight, with a double national junior champion and without doubt the best ever long distance time trialist.

Wild Wales Challenge 1997.

Briefly summing up the Sunlight's success we have provided schoolboy, junior, senior and over 40's divisional and national champions on the road and track. Throughout their successful racing history the Sunlight have remained a true club, virtually every member who raced won a race, the vast majority living on the Wirral and living within a 10 mile radius of Port Sunlight.

The Sunlight both promote and support local events. The club have in recent years taken part in the Cheshire cycleway, the Wild Wales, the Amstel Gold and Tour of Flanders rides. There is an annual pilgrimage to the high spots of the Tour de France many weekends away and a classical "roadmans" weekend.

Club run 1997.

Socially, there is probably no equal to the Sunlight. The club meets at one of the finest hostelries on the Wirral, club runs start from the famous "Eureka" café at Two Mills. The annual dinner is a "Hot Ticket". Club runs on a Sunday are led by Andy Wilkinson and are well supported. The club also has regular Wednesday runs utilising the myriad of tracks and by-ways on the Wirral and ending up at one of our "country club rooms".

The wheel really has turned full circle, as once again the club has returned to its original mandate, that of like minded men and women bonding together in the common love of riding a bike.