I hope by now that you’ve all heard of our collaborative effort to raise money to repair the Bog of Doom on Cutgate. While it’s not been much of a bog this summer, once the rain returns, so does the clart!
If you want bringing up to speed then please take a look over here for more details.
We’re now nearly a year into the project, so what’s been going on? Alongside Ride Sheffield and Peak District MTB fundraising, we’ve had several kind individuals fundraising via their own sponsored rides along with the Steel Valley ride and Peak District MTB raffle. Massive thanks go to everyone who’s given up time to help, volunteered on event days, bought raffle tickets or dug deep and donated to the cause.
Sadly, we’re no where near the full target – around 20% of the way at present. It’s disappointing, but in a way understandable. There are a few concerns that seem to pop up, so we’d like to answer those.
– A fear of sanitisation. We’re looking at flag/clapper work over only 70 metres of trail, to encourage one route through the bog. That’s it.
– But “they” did this to that trail. There’s a lot of different “theys”! This project was led by Ride Sheffield and Peak District MTB in the first place and we’re being involved in discussions throughout the process. Cut Gate is on Sheffield land, so we can categorically state that Derbyshire County Council are in no way involved. They’re usually the “they” in cases of inconsiderate works.
– Money’s tight. Yep, no doubt. As bikers, we don’t usually pay for trail access or repairs. Perhaps this is the chance to show land owners, land managers, national park bodies and other users groups just how responsible mountain bikers can be. If we’re seen as the good guys, maybe that will work in our favour in the future?
Help can be in other forms too – can you raise sponsorship somehow? Push your employer for a donation or some raffle/crowdfunder prizes? Can you just help spread the work via social media and forums?
We’re open to all suggestions and comments. As ever, contact us on hello@cutgate.org
If you’re ever wondering about what Cut Gate’s riding like, Keeper of the Peak is a great resource to find real life ride reports for Peak District & Sheffield trails. Check the website here and the twitter account here.
What’s next?
The BMC, who are overseeing all 14 Mend our Mountains projects have just launched their Crowfunder – giving great awards when you pledge a donation.
Click here to view the Cut Gate Crowdfunder!
It’s always a mistake to assume that raising money for a project is the difficult bit and that everything thereafter should be a breeze. We reached our target for RADmires some time ago thanks to the generosity of Ride Sheffield supporters and local businesses and yet the diggers and whacker plates still lie idle. 
What would it take to stop you riding a trail? Given the addictive nature of mountain biking, just how big a red flag would have to be waved to stop you heading out? And who would have to be waving it? 
In discussion with Sheffield City Council we are aware the trails at Lady Cannings are have had a tough wet and soggy winter, not to mention a lot of snow and frozen weather and the unseasonably big thaw that followed last week and then the near flooding we have had today and forecast for more….