In April 2017, a group of three Coleford Parish Councillors put their hands up to raise money for and to build, a BMX Track for the benefit of the “young’uns” and for the community/village of Coleford.

We settled on a BMX ‘Pump Track’ being the most versatile and all-inclusive version of the BMX Experience that we could think of, i.e. one that could be used by all age groups, to suit all pockets, for bikes, scooters, skateboards, or even balance bikes in the hands of really little people and enthusiastic mums or dads.

We looked at many other tracks to see what we needed and found the contractors we wanted; an up-and-coming company called Dirt Kraft. They won the contract tender and so it was then up to us to raise the money, augmenting a donation by Somerset County Council.

We started fundraising in the village by one of the Councillors (at the fine old age of 69) doing a Sky Dive at Netheravon, which was covered by The Journal in August last year; raising just over £2,000 all in all. Three of our village boys, with the help of Writhlington School, put together a brilliant video, that can be seen on our Facebook page, Coleford BMX Pump Track Community Project, a music gig and BBQ organised in the King’s Head pub featuring an acoustic version of Deaf Horse, a local heavy metal group. We also held a Christmas Draw and ten of our young people did an amazing endurance ride on the Leigh-on-Mendip BMX Pump Track, which entailed riding non-stop for six hours on the Leigh Pump Track! They covered over 56 miles between them, the average age was 10.5 years, the youngest being just six years old.

A great effort which has seen, in total, the village raising over £3,600. Diligence then paid off in searching for grants, so by the time planning permission had been granted on 9th February this year, we had a grand total of over £30,000, with work beginning on 26th February.

Our Sponsors have been: Somerset County Council, the Somerset Community Foundation, Avon and Somerset Police Foundation and the promise of a grant from a major sporting benefactor, which hopefully we have secured. Our local quarries and the people who work in them have been amazing – Wainwright Quarries Ltd, Cookswood, Hanson’s, Tarmac (Halecombe), Morris and Perry have been incredibly helpful and supportive. Also a big thank you to Read Agri; the King’s Head Pub (and friends). All of the above have made it possible with their can-do attitude; and we simply could not have done it without them.

So a huge thank you to everyone who has been involved in the project.

Tony Gurd