IMBA AGM 2008 - Chairman's Report

I'd like to take this opportunity to provide an overview of the range of activities carried out by IMBA UK over the last year.

Through our monthly members updates we have been able to engage with our members on a wide range of issues, both in providing information to our members, and in seeking information, guidance and feedback from them.

Towards the end of 2007 we sought feedback from our members on their experiences of cycling on canal towpaths. This was in response to being contacted by the Inland Waterways Association for this information. The strength of being a membership organization showed on this occasion and the responses that we had helped us to frame an informed and valuable response, and to work more constructively with the IWA, and this work continues.

Last year IMBA Exec members Tony Williams and Ian Warby (also CTC), joined IMBA president Dafydd Davies attended a meeting to look at the proposals for the Olympic Legacy Velopark in London. IMBA UK has continued to input into the design process, and is helping to create a facility that will be a worthwhile legacy.

IMBA UK attended an important conference earlier this year on 29 January. At a conference entitled "Building on Success - The Sustainable Delivery of Mountain Biking in Scotland" IMBA-UK was represented in an official capacity by Kenny Wilson.   This was an important opportunity for IMBA UK to contribute to the development of mountain biking in Scotland. The strategy that was developed from this conference is currently out for consultation.

In April this year IMBA UK became a registered company. It was agreed that this was the way forward for IMBA UK at the 2007 AGM. Executive Committee Member Tony Williams took this work forward, and was successful in ensuring that IMBA UK is now a registered company under the preferred name. Many thanks to Tony for his hard work and diligence.

Our parent organization to IMBA UK - IMBA in the US, was 20 years' old this year. IMBA came about because mountain biking was coming under threat. A group of conservation minded advocates came together to establish a voice for mountain bikers. The organization grew its membership and set out to demonstrate that sustainable mountain bike trails could be developed, with conservation in mind, and with respect and co-operation with other users and with land managers. It is this unique approach that sets IMBA apart from many others.

IMBA's mission has always been to protect, create, and enhance quality trail experiences for mountain bikers worldwide. In addition, IMBA actively promotes responsible mountain biking, support volunteer trailwork, assist land managers with trail management issues, and improve relations among trail user groups. We are pleased that IMBA's CEO Mike Van Abel is with us here today.

In Spring this year our vice-president Dafydd Davis spent some time working in the Czech Republic with Tomáš Kvasnička of CeMBA (the Czech mountain biking advocacy organisation). This continued the dialogue that had been established between IMBA UK and CeMBA. From this there have been further developments towards developing a European IMBA, or EMBA . . . and a meeting to discuss this will take place after this AGM.

IMBA UK is regularly asked to help with surveys and student reports. One of these requests resulted in the UK Mountain Biking Tourism Report by Michal Gajda. The report focuses on an analysis of participant characteristics, travel patterns and motivations in the context of activity and adventure tourism. It can be found on the IMBA UK website.

The IMBA Trans Cambrian Way is an epic 100 mile route from the English border to the Irish Sea across the remote hills and moorland of central Wales. The online, downloadable ride guide has been updated following feedback from members and is now available on the IMBA UK website. This route continues to be popular with regular feedback from riders who have enjoyed their experience.

Mountain Bike trails continue to grow throughout Britain and the following and it would be impossible to mention them all today. Just give a flavour of the excitement and energy that is developing and improving trails across the country I would like to mention. These include the development of trails on Isle of Man, the result of partnership working between the Manx Mountain Bike Club, the Manx Government Department of Agriculture and Fisheries and the Forestry Division. The 7stanes and the Tweed Valley continue to go from strength to strength with new facilities for mountain bikers. The work in the Sherwood Pines continues with new trails, and the development of bike patrols. The South West Off Road Cycling Project has a full-time coordinator. The project demonstrates the benefits of taking a strategic approach and although its taken some time to get off the ground it is now making some real progress in looking at the best options for trail centres.

Our members are involved in so many mountain bike related activities, from underwear to outerwear, tourism to trans-cambrian taxis and training & development to websites, events and races. I would like to mention just a few examples of what our members have been getting up to.

Daniel Mintz has launched an increasingly website called ibikeride.com where you can learn & share mountain bike skills & tech tips as well as kit & trails experiences. Whatever you are seeking there is a large library of video tutorials, articles & reviews. Chase Trails in the Cannock Forest in the Midlands have worked with a number of partners to help raise money for the development of trails in the forest. Iain Johnson of mtbcycleyorkshire.com runs a variety of training courses for mountain bikers and has developed a navigation skills course for mountain bikers. And in the north, Cyclehighlands of Ballater has recently assisted mapmakers Trailmaps to produce 3 trail guides for the Royal Deeside area showing graded natural trails for all abilities.

IMBA UK also actively encourages our members to participate in local consultations and other local activities to raise the profile of mountain bikers and to improve the understanding of the needs of mountain bikers.

On a day-to-day basis IMBA UK deals with a wide range of enquiries from members and non-members, and also students, the press and other media. These enquiries are dealt with by our part-time coordinator with expert input from members of the executive and wider committee.

Our coordinator also manages the merchandise orders received through our website, and the IMBA publications are held by Pete Corson who ensures that these orders are processed as quickly as possible.

For an organisation that is largely run by volunteers IMBA UK maintains an impressive level of recognition within the world of mountainbiking, and is often the first port of call for enquiries from those trying to find out more about the sport and its participants.

We are thankful to all the volunteers who give their time to IMBA UK, and as well as the Executive who are here today, recognition must be given to our regional reps and access advisers. Our website is often the first point of contact for people finding out about IMBA UK and I would like to thank Martin Johnson who maintains our website and keeps it up to date and working so effectively.

This brief report, I hope, has provided an insight in the range of activities carried out by IMBA UK and our members, and shows the energy and enthusiasm that is essential to the life of any organization.

Thank you.

More information / comments?

Last update: 13 Nov 2009