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The Trail Pot – National Mountain Biking Development Fund, a UK 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, the charity is ready to launch its fundraising efforts and support mountain biking: the trail builders, advocacy groups and 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 described as “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 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, added: “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, the charity and its trustees aim to hit the ground running, and with seed funding in place, now is the time to build momentum.
To find out more, visit: thetrailpot.com
