Cognation: Bike Give Sustain

Bike Give Sustain

This project started in February 2016, its purpose is to encourage visitors and local people to directly contribute to the future maintenance of the mountain biking trails in the Afan Valley. Project Officer, Susan Chilcott said: “Afan Forest Park is one of Wales’ most popular destinations for both expert and less experienced riders – especially as the trails are free for everyone to enjoy. The financial contribution that these mountain biking visitors make to the Neath Port Talbot visitor economy is substantial and needs to be safeguarded.”

“Bike Give Sustain is aiming to achieve this in several ways, such as encouraging visitors to drop their spare change in donation boxes located around the valley, working with local businesses to develop a visitor giving scheme, forming a volunteer group who will undertake practical maintenance and development work, and finding corporate sponsors for the trails.”

Since the start of the project the main achievements have been promotional activities to raise the profile of the project and the Afan trails, along with the setting up of the volunteer group. Susan explained that: “Social media has been essential to both these activities, especially the new facebook group for the Afan Trail Volunteers, which already has 46 members. Hopefully lots of these online members will turn up and sign up to be real members at the first volunteering session at Afan Forest Visitor Centre at 10am on Wednesday 17th August!”
More information on the above scheme can be found on www.cognation.co.uk/about/get-involved