Arran High School Mountain Bike Club is an established and growing community club providing mountain biking activities for secondary-age young people across Arran. Participation has increased steadily and we now have clear, proven demand for our activities, with more young people wanting to take part than our current number of qualified volunteers can safely accommodate.

We are applying for £1,000 from North Ayrshire Council’s Participatory Budget to contribute towards British Cycling Mountain Bike Trail Leader training and assessment for six new volunteer leaders on Arran. The total project cost is £4,320, with the club providing £3,320 in match funding. This represents a significant commitment from the club and demonstrates the value we place on developing sustainable opportunities for young people in our community.

The funding will directly support the training and assessment of six new local volunteers, increasing the number of qualified leaders available to run club activities. This will allow us to safely increase capacity, reduce and ultimately remove our waiting lists, and give more young people the opportunity to participate regularly.

Our activities are open to all secondary-age young people on Arran. The project will therefore benefit children and young people from across the island, providing opportunities to be active, develop cycling and outdoor skills, build confidence, make friends and enjoy the natural environment. Increasing our volunteer capacity will also help ensure that participation remains inclusive and accessible rather than being limited by the number of existing leaders.

The project is particularly important in an island community where opportunities and resources can be more limited than on the mainland. Training local volunteers creates a sustainable resource within the community: once qualified, these leaders can continue supporting the club and future generations of young people.

We believe this project deserves to be funded because it responds directly to a demonstrated community need. We already have an experienced club, growing participation and clear demand, but our ability to respond is currently restricted by the number of qualified volunteers available. 

By investing in six new volunteer leaders, North Ayrshire Council’s Participatory Budget would help us provide more opportunities for young people on Arran to get outdoors, be active and develop new skills. The funding will have a direct and lasting community benefit, allowing more of Arran’s young people to get on their bikes and participate in a successful, inclusive and growing local activity.