The weekend of November 9/10 will see the first formal get together of IMBA (International Mountain Bicycling Association) representatives in the UK. They’ll be meeting at the Kendal Youth Hostel in order to finalise the details of how IMBA will operate in the UK.

IMBA is a leading advocacy organisation in the US and has many successful programmes underway that further develop riding opportunities for mountain bikers including the Subaru sponsored Trail Care Crew and the Sprockids programme.

It is hoped that similar programmes will develop in the future within the UK once firm foundations have been put in place. There is already a core team of volunteers who are regular contact via a mailing list and who want to develop trail riding opportunities in the UK further. This weekend is key to getting their input into the overall process of establishing IMBA in the UK.

We’ll be joined by three IMBA staff from the US: Tim Blumenthal – Executive Director, Steve Anderson – IMBA President and Jay Franklin – an IMBA Board Member.

Over the course of the weekend there will be chances to learn more about IMBA, to help us define the role that IMBA needs to take in the UK, some trailbuilding and advocacy training and, of course, a ride!

If you’d like to help out take a look at IMBA’s work in the US
(http://www.imba.com/) and sign-up to the IMBA UK mailing list by sending an
email to [email protected]

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