‘RUBBISH’ RIDERS, RUNNERS & ROAMERS REQUIRED!
You may remember in April 2019 I attended the final two dates of the inaugural Spring Trail Clean Tour at Dalby and Grizedale trail centres….. well, the tour is back and its grown huge!
Trash Free Trails (TFT) team-up with Trek Bicycles and 1000s of riders, runners and roamers for their second annual Spring Trail Clean Tour. Ramping up their bid to reduce plastic pollution on our trails and wild places! 
- In 2019 – 500 people joined TFT to remove over half a TONNE of trash, including; 844 (full) dog poo-bags and 650 single-use plastic bottles.
- This April & May – TFT will QUADRUPLE the impact of the Spring Trail Clean Tour with 40 events across the world, from Hartlepool to the Himalayas!
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We are calling for 1000 volunteers called upon to JOIN 1 or more of the The 20 TFT A-TEAM led events. LEAD your own using TFT’s awesome ‘trail clean toolkit’ and/or SHARE your ‘trashy stories’ with #trashfreetrails!
- EVIDENCE – All Plastic pollution data gathered included in TFT’s ‘State of Our Trails Report’*
- FORT WILLIAM – TFT to unveil a secret activation at the spiritual home of downhill MTB!
- RIDER, RUNNER OR ROAMER? – Perfect, because EVERYONE’S welcome!
- SIGN-UP – and learn more at www.trashfreetrails.org & @trashfreetrails.
SPRING (CLEANING) IS IN THE AIR
We’ve made it to March! Storms Chiara, Dennis et al have done their worst and it’s been months since we finished a ride with mud free eyeballs. But, there’s sunshine at the end of the tunnel! We can almost taste the loam and smell the warm bracken and soon it will be time to see whether winter miles do indeed equal summer smiles? Soon, we will be FREEEEEEEEEE!
“One of the best things about spring is the irresistible explosion of life, that fresh-start feeling that this season is going to be a good one! What better time is there to say thanks to the places that make us feel so alive? This is why we believe so strongly in the simple, positive power of our Spring Trail Clean Tour” – Dom Ferris, TFT
JOIN > LEAD > SHARE – SPRING TRAIL CLEAN YOUR WAY!
JOIN
This April the 4th – 13th, Dom and Ben will be heading out from TFT HQ to deliver 10 big, noisy Spring Trail Clean Tour events across the UK from the Aston Hill to Fort Bill and they’ve got their fingers crossed that as many people as last year will join them again to kick off the tour in grand style!
DOM & BEN’S SPRING TRAIL CLEAN TOUR STOPS – APRIL 4TH – 13TH**
- SOUTH EAST – ASTON HILL – SATURDAY 4TH APRIL, 12PM – 3PM
- SOUTH – LEIGH WOODS – SUNDAY 5TH APRIL, 12PM – 3PM
- SOUTH WEST – FOREST OF DEAN – MONDAY 6TH APRIL, 12PM – 3PM
- SOUTH WALES – AFAN – THURSDAY 9TH APRIL, 12PM – 3PM
- MIDLANDS – CANNOCK CHASE – FRIDAY 10TH APRIL, 12PM – 3PM
- NORTH WALES – LLANDEGLA – SATURDAY 11TH APRIL, 12PM – 3PM
- NORTH – LEEDS URBAN BIKE PARK – SUNDAY 12TH APRIL, 12PM – 3PM
- NORTH EAST – HAMSTERLEY FOREST – MONDAY 13TH APRIL, 12PM – 3PM
- **SCOTLAND – TWEEDLOVE – 29TH – 31ST MAY
- **SCOTLAND – FORT WILLIAM – 5TH – 7TH JUNE
LEAD
This year TFT are also mixing things up a little. First off, the A-TEAM is getting involved!
Sadly it’s not the actual BA and his fellow soldiers of fortune but the TFT Ambassador Team comes a pretty close second. This incredible team of 30 riders, runners and roamers will also be leading 10 Spring Trail Cleans of their own (and they ain’t no fools!).***
So, that makes 20 Spring Trail Clean Tour events, what about the other 20? Yep, you’ve guessed it, this is where YOU come in! 
In response to the incredible ‘appetite for protection’ that Ben & Dom experienced out on the trails in 2019 they decided to ask YOU if you’re up for leading your own Spring Trail Clean!? Dom, Ben and the A-TEAM will be with you every step of the way and their ‘trail clean toolkit’ breaks down the process into simple, bite size chunks (SO GET CRACKING!).
But, don’t just take it from the old dudes! Here’s Dyfi Forest shredding brothers Nathan (11) and Ruben (9) (aka: the @trailrippers) on why it’s COOOOOOOOOL to do something (sorry Kaiser Chiefs!);
“Hi everyone, this is Nathan and Ruben here! We’re going to clean our local pump track and if we can do it anyone can!! Bye :)”
SHARE
Can’t make it to an ‘official’ Spring Trail Clean event, but still up for doing your bit!? No worries, this is exactly what the Trash Free Trails guys created #minitrailclean for!
Yoann Barreli is joining in from afar too; “The race season is just around the corner and I’m training like crazy so sadly I can’t make it to a Spring Trail Clean Tour event! But, I want join in with you all so I’ll be doing a #minitrailclean too. Maybe I’ll even persuade my race buddies to join in ;)”
RESPONSIBILITY
This year Spring Trail Clean Tour founding partners; Trek Bicycles UK, Stance, BikePark Wales and RideGuard are joined by HOPE Technology, British Cycling, Pedal MTB, Shift Active Media and Outdoor Provisions. Forming an inspiring collective of companies who have committed to leading from the front for our environment.
“Working collaboratively with the mountain bike and wider outdoor sports industry is key to achieving our aims. This is why, each one of the partners on the Spring Trail Clean Tour share a common goal; a desire to help protect the very trails and wild places that they depend upon”. Ben Gaby – TFT
SIGN-UP
Trash Free Trails is a community movement, powered by people like YOU! So drop Dom, Ben and the A-TEAM a line and join the Spring Trail Clean Tour today!
www.trashfreetrails.org & @trashfreetrails
#jointhetrashmob x #protectwhatyoulove x #trashfreetrails
Extra reading if you want to get to know who we are
ABOUT TRASH FREE TRAILS
We are a community focussed, non-profit organisation. A positive, inclusive call to arms for riders, runners and roamers. We exist to protect our trails and the wild places they take us and we’re starting with litter (aka – plastic pollution!).
Our mission is to reduce plastic pollution on our trails and wild places by 75% by 2025. We will do this by informing and empowering riders, motivating and supporting community action and campaigning for industry engagement and innovation.
*THE STATE OF OUR TRAILS REPORT
It is our responsibility to PROVE that plastic pollution on our trails and wild places is a problem. This is why we will be creating the first ever ‘State of Our Trails Report (SoOT). Working with world leading scientist Dr Martyn Kurr and Bangor University this groundbreaking report will provide a clear understanding of the problems and opportunities and determine the most effective actions to take.
The SoOT Report is our priority project for 2020 – 25, underpinning each project we deliver.
The report will act as central hub, that both drives and is fed by each individual ‘spoke’ of activity, from trail clean to product development. Providing a clear sense of purpose to the people who donate their precious time, talent (and money!).
THE TRASH FREE TRAILS TEAM
Dom Ferris created Trash Free Trails in a bid to bring the fight against the swathe of single use plastics scarring our inland environment. Experienced in delivering campaigns for marine charity Surfer Against Sewage, Ferris has been building the TFT community since 2017. Joining Ferris, Co-Director Ben Gaby brings his action sport industry experience to the fold, designing and delivering purposeful environmental campaigns and growing industry involvement for TFT. Ellie Ewart completes the leadership team, and brings her extensive knowledge of educational programs and design for change to the mix.
TFT AMBASSADOR TEAM (THE A-TEAM)***
The A-TEAM is the beating heart of Trash Free Trails. They are a group of 25 (and growing) permanent volunteers who have pledged their time, talent and passion to represent Trash Free Trails in their regions (from the Highlands top the Himalayas!) and protect and enhance the trails they ride, run and roam every day.
James Mackeddie 