British Division Captain, 1965-1973 and Ellen Pfeiffer Award recipient in 2017
This is the nomination that was submitted by WIMA GB:
Maureen has been a member of WIMA since the 1950s. Now in her mid-eighties, she is an honorary member of WIMA GB, and lives quietly, in Wales, with her husband, Ron.
Our founding president’s method of running WIMA was to control all the national groups. When this was no longer practical, WIMA GB would have failed had it not been for Maureen who kept WIMA GB afloat. She wrote personal letters to lapsed members, sent information out to all the members and did all of this out of her own pocket until the group started to build up funds. The letters she wrote were the beginnings of our monthly newsletter, and she held a rally in 1965, thus introducing the concept of an annual rally for WIMA GB members.
WIMA GB is one of the longest running WIMA national groups, but would many national groups running today have even formed, if Maureen had not kept WIMA GB going, and met and talked to so many people on her travels? We firmly believe that Maureen has made a massive contribution to WIMA World.
This is Maureen’s WIMA story in her own words: ‘I was fourteen years old and living in Dublin when the boy next door got a motorbike. It was love at first sight. A beautiful 1931 KTT Velocette! Soon I was spending hours in his garage, learning how the engine worked. I really loved bikes and welcomed any opportunity to go pillion on any make of bike.
I joined WIMA, but never met any members. One day, I had a letter from the American WIMA president, Louise Scherbyn, asking me to take over as captain of WIMA in Britain. Once I got the names and addresses of members, I wrote to all of them on a regular basis. This was the start of our WIMA NEWS of today.
In January 1965, we went to the Elephant Rally in Germany, where I met Ellen Pfeiffer, the German WIMA captain, and also several American members. In October 1965, I held the first WIMA meeting in Britain at my parents’ hotel in North Wales, taking advantage of my parents going away on holiday! After that I held an annual WIMA rally, every year, for several years. These were camping rallies and days were spent chatting and taking part in gymkhana events. In the evenings we sat round a campfire and sang songs.
In 1970 we went to the WIMA rally in France. Being WIMA’s 20th anniversary, we were given a pendant with ‘WIMA 20th Year’ on it. The scenery was great, the rally was great, and we met many lovely, friendly WIMA girls and families. It was a highlight of my biking days in France. To this day, I still wear that medallion.
I got a Honda 400 Four in 1976. This bike was called ‘Ladybird’. We attended the California Motorcycle Jamboree held at Ventura just north of Los Angeles, where I met American and Canadian WIMA members. As we got older and retired, we spent more time riding locally.
It is great to know that WIMA is expanding to more and more countries, and I am proud to be part of such a great organisation. I still enjoy being a WIMA member and only regret that at the age of 85, I have finally got to hang up my helmet due to failing eyesight. I have now sold all my bikes.
So I say to all members – KEEP ON BIKING as long as you possibly can.’
