A SPOT OF SPRING CLEANING

There’s nothing quite like riding pristine singletrack – TFT need your help to keep it that way

Trash Free Trails have two clear – and very important – goals. Firstly, they want to remove 75 per cent of single-use pollution (litter) from our trails and wild places by 2025. Secondly, and just as vital, they aim to make a sustainable, long-term difference by encouraging ‘purposeful adventure’ – a shift of emphasis from leaving no trace in the countryside, to actually making a positive difference, whether that’s by picking up rubbish or educating others. Neither aim is achievable without a strong, active and empowered grassroots community, so that’s what they’ve set about building – and to take things to the next level, they need our help.

First, a potted history. While the non-profit group’s debut action – an Instagram post – came in 2017, it wasn’t until 2019 that they were able to really set about their valuable work. That year, Trek Bikes supported the first TFT Spring Trail Cleans. The gang visited seven iconic UK MTB locations, mobilising their Ambassador Team (A-TEAM for short), friends, family and TrashMob volunteers to remove as much rubbish as they could.

The following year was a weird one, overshadowed by the pandemic. Instead of lamenting what wasn’t possible, TFT focused on what was. They may not have been able to gather hundreds of people together, but that didn’t mean those individuals weren’t out there, struggling for something to do with their locked-down selves... and so, SelfLESS Isolation was born

– a project that saw the TFT community come together, but apart. A process of reconnection began, and volunteers far and wide got in touch with nature, and themselves.

Last year was another funny one, with the constantly changing restrictions making planning events impossible. That didn’t stop TFT – they launched their Do It Ourselves trail-clean toolkit and mobilised almost 1,000 people to get involved in their own way, across the world.

Which brings us to 2022. Now that COVID restrictions have lifted, there’s a huge opportunity to get as many people as possible to remove as much rubbish as they can from the trails they rely on. So, TFT are asking mountain bikers and other outdoors types – in collaboration with their partners Trek, Bosch eBike Systems, The North Face x European Outdoor Conservation Association, Red Bull UK and Komoot – to get out there and ‘remove, report, reward’. So, spread the word!

The idea is to fill a bag with litter and share our ‘purposeful adventures’ with TFT, making sure to treat ourselves with a ride or a bit of cake at the end. Riding, doing our bit for the planet AND cake? Sounds good to us! They’re also organising another round of Spring Trail Cleans, so if you’d like to get involved – or lead your own – head to www.trashfreetrails.org for dates, locations, toolkits, advice and more. We’ll be joining them, will you?

Hey, I’m Nush, based out of Sheffield and a fresh TFT A-TEAMer! I’m predominantly a mountain biker, but just like being outdoors in whatever capacity. My local woods is Wharncliffe/ Grenoside, and I’m passionate about keeping it trash-free and lovely. It has a special place in my heart, as it’s somewhere I go to have fun, but also to clear my head. There’s a great community here, too – I have fond memories of summer-solstice jams and big groups of people enjoying the woods. Recent years have seen an increase in littering, especially during the pandemic. At first, it really upset me, as it didn’t make sense – seeing people have such little regard for somewhere so beautiful. But I’ve since used these emotions to try and make a difference.

I’m looking forward to the Spring Trail Cleans, as spring always feels like a hard reset, and it’s when that summer excitement starts to bubble away! I have a couple of group spring cleans booked in and am hoping to rope in as many locals as possible, plus whoever else wants to get involved. I used to help run a girls’ mountain bike group and can always count on those guys to get stuck in, and I’ll be calling in the TFT Sheffield army! Bring on a summer of clean, happy and safe trails…