19/12/24 – Big on Bikes joins as first official suporter
Trail Pot Announces First Official Supporter: Big on Bikes
The Trail Pot is pleased to announce its first official supporter, Big on Bikes, in Little Eaton, Derbyshire.
This partnership marks an important step forward in our plan to support grassroots mountain biking and advocate for better access, representation, and local trail initiatives.
Big on Bikes is deeply rooted in the local cycling community. With a team of experienced mechanics who are all MTB riders themselves, the business has a long-standing connection to the trails and the broader MTB scene.
“The Trail Pot is a great idea and can really help to advocate on behalf of the MTB community for better representation, access rights and also raise awareness of local initiatives and promote MTB activity for young and old,” said Dave Howard, owner of Big on Bikes. “We’re proud to support its work and look forward to working together to make a positive impact.”
Big on Bikes has contributed to The Trail Pot for 2024 and plans to play an active role in promoting its mission within the East Midlands. As part of this commitment, they aim to encourage riders to get involved, advocate for better access, and foster cooperation with other trail user groups.
“Big on Bikes brings a wealth of experience and passion for mountain biking, and we’re thrilled to have them on board,” said Chris Maloney, Founder of The Trail Pot. “Support from local businesses like Big on Bikes will be crucial as we continue to grow and build a stronger future for grassroots mountain biking – and their contribution helps determine where the funds go in future.”
The Trail Pot is dedicated to securing funding for trail maintenance, promoting sustainable trail use, and advocating for the MTB community. Big on Bikes’ support is a key step in achieving these goals. Big on Bike’s support.
What does it mean for the Trail Pot overall?
“Well with support coming from the East Midlands, that region will get a bigger share of the pot when it comes to redistribution down the line!” says Chris. “We’d love to hear from others in other regions about how they can support local grassroots mountain biking through the charity.”
How to Get Involved
Join Big on Bikes in supporting The Trail Pot and help us develop the future of grassroots mountain biking where you are. Whether you’re a rider, a business, or part of the local community, your contribution can make a real difference.
24/10/24 – Trail Pot opens
The Trail Pot – National Mountain Biking Development Fund, the UK’s first charity dedicated to grassroots mountain biking development, has officially opened, aiming to empower local communities and projects with the financial support they need.
Led by a passionate team of trustees and mountain biking advocates, the charity’s mission is to foster a sustainable and thriving biking community across the country.
With trustees appointed, official registration, and operational bank accounts, we’re ready to launch our fundraising efforts and support the mountain biking community; the trail builders, advocacy groups and inspirational riders who sit at the heart of the community.
Chris Maloney, Founder and Trustee said:
“This is a charity which has been set up purely to improve mountain biking at the grassroots: the simplest of levels – the individuals and groups who are trying to make a difference at their local level.
“I’ve been in this world for over a decade. Fighting, arguing, stressing over finding the cash we know can make a difference to local projects. The Trail Pot aims to change all that, by having the money in place first, and then finding the projects afterwards. By nurturing hundreds of sparks up and down the country, it’ll soon catch. And we’ll light the community up.”
The model is a win:win:win for mountain biking, the businesses who support it and riders. Supporting businesses can benefit from the charitable contribution and reputation benefits, riders can see exactly where their money is going, and the charity succeeds through the community contribution.
Details of the full model can be found on our website, and we share regular updates there and on Instagram.
Chris Heseltine-James, Trustee and former coach said:
“Over the next year our mission is to fill the pot. We’re aiming to get to £20,000 as a start from donations – but in the main larger partners. We’ll then begin accepting funding applications for grassroots projects. The more we fill the charity pot, the more we’ll have to put back. It’s a simple, but hugely ambitious project – we’d love people to get involved.”
With support now, we can really hit the ground running. We have seed funding in place, but we really need to build momentum. You can help. Get in touch to find out how.”
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