00:01Christopher Sproul's British Empire Medal, Investiture, Monday 14th July 2025.
00:09Citation. For services to cycling and to the community in West Sussex.
00:16Christopher Sproul's is committed to improving the cycling and walking provision in West Sussex.
00:23Twenty years ago he joined Sustrans, a group that campaigns for the opening of new routes
00:30and works to keep local walking and cycling routes maintained.
00:35He has established a number of local initiatives to promote cycling and walking,
00:41including mentoring those who are less confident and developing new maps and guides.
00:48Chris recently worked with local councils and Butlins to open the promenades at Bognor Regis and Middlehampton to cycling
00:57and to develop new cycle paths through Hottam Park.
01:01He has collaborated with West Sussex County Council to develop safe junctions and crossings in accordance with government guidelines
01:10and has worked closely with South Downs National Park to deliver new routes covering 16 miles.
01:19Chris has also taken on a voluntary role with the County Council as a paths inspector,
01:25auditing paths to ensure that they are well maintained and have clear signposts.
01:31Chris frequently comments on local planning applications and encourages funds to be set aside by developers
01:38to support local infrastructure.
01:42As a result, approximately £2.5 million has been allocated for route development in the region
01:49and new estates continue to include walking and cycling routes.
01:55He has worked with his local council to form safer roads for Yakton, encouraging a plan for the village
02:01to reduce speed limits and improve conditions for cycling and walking.
02:06For his outstanding commitment to improving the infrastructure for cyclists and walkers,
02:12Christopher Sprouls is awarded the British Empire Medal.
02:17This is not any mean achievement. They are so hard to come by.
02:24As you can imagine, lots and lots of people get nominated and they're very rigorously assessed.
02:30It's such a joy. You have done so much, not just for your immediate community, Christopher, but for so many people.
02:38I mean, I don't even quantify how many wheels and energy and hours of labour and everything else has gone into what you have achieved over the last little bit.
02:51Yeah, thank you.
02:52And really, you deserve this. It's just wonderful.
02:55On behalf of His Majesty King Charles III, I have the great joy of investing you in this British Empire Medal
03:05and saying many, many congratulations and well done. Thank you for everything you do and you continue to do.
03:13Thank you very much.
03:14And it's very special, this. The British Empire Medal is the only award which has the recipient's name
03:24individually on the actual medal.
03:32It's not just about me, it's about showing how important cyclists within the community are walking.
03:37So, I accept it on their behalf as well as me, so thank you.
03:42I haven't stopped yet, so just so you all know that I'm not sitting around doing nothing.
03:49At the moment, as Amy Emma said, the village of Yakton is absolutely full up with new housing it's late.
03:55The only difference is they've all got cycle routes around there.
03:58And it's going to annoy so many people, I'm really pleased with that.
04:01There'll be cyclists everywhere.
04:04And the other big piece of work I'm trying to still do is the fall to Hunston, nine and a half mile long canal,
04:10which I'm trying to get repurposed as a greenway.
04:13It's been accepted by the Arran District Council as one of their active travel routes.
04:18We've got to get some more energy into it, but already three parts of it have been worked on to make it into.
04:25So, it never happened in my lifetime, I can't see it actually ever happening in my lifetime,
04:29but one day there will be a greenway right across from Chittister over to the River Arran and it'll be fantastic.
