Ian Warby from the CTC explains how this Barclays/Channel 4 scheme could benefit us mountainbikers.

Channel 4 Education and Barclays launch ‘The Stake’ 28/11/2011

Channel 4 Education, in partnership with high street bank Barclays have launched ‘The Stake’ – a competition. Through the competition anyone aged between 16 and 21 years of age can submit ideas about how they would spend a share of the money to support community or business ideas that will make a difference. This could be a start up business, a new school mountain bike trail, one-off event – or anything in between. There are two ways that young people can take part:

They can submit an idea themselves or Registering as a stakeholder (Stakes) they can have a say in whose idea wins.

Up to six winners will be announced in January 2012. Each winner will be given up to £20,000, along with support from top financial experts, to make their ideas a reality. A film crew will follow their stories as the fledgling community and business entrepreneurs go through their first challenges of bringing their ideas to life. The top 20 ideas with the most stakes by 11:59pm on the 23 December 2011 will be shortlisted and judged by a panel from Channel 4 Education and Barclays

http://www.channel4.com/info/press/news/channel-4-education-and-barclays-launch-the-stake

How you can get involved and develop a mountain bike project!

This is a great opportunity for young mountain bike entrepreneurs to get their ideas off the ground and make a real difference in their local community. I get a lot of e-mails from youngsters looking for more facilities locally. From getting a local pump track through to developing the local dirt jumps or a skills area £20K would go a long way to creating a lasting legacy.

Of course you can’t be expected to do this all on your own so CTC are offering their support in the bid writing process. Were also giving you a few ideas to give you a head start!

What would £20K buy your local MTB community?

There are a lot of clubs and groups where £20K would make a real difference. If you’re one of the younger members speak to the committee find out about the gaps in provision and fill them with your ideas. It could also pay for the development of a school skills area, pump track or dirt jump site. For example £20K will buy a whole field full of Shoretrax portable mountain bike trail www.shoretrax.com.

Why not use the money to organise an event to raise the profile of the mountain biking in your community and beyond, from an urban downhill through to a multi-stage Enduro race, what a great way to get your career as event organiser started!

So get thinking and start planning, the Business Link website has some great advice when it comes to developing ideas and planning.

When you’ve worked up your ideas and have a plan in place and if you’d like some specialist input feel free to contact me here at CTC [email protected]

I’m happy to cast an expert eye over your plans and hopefully we’ll be able to invest some of ‘The Stake’ into mountain biking.