Back in February 2021, Burlish Bike Park was a concept Hannah Escott was working hard to turn into reality, we find out what the latest news is.
Two years down the line and by the sounds of it, quite an odyssey, Hannah Escott has the wheels very much turning on Burlish Bike Park.
We sat down for a chat to see what the latest is.
What’s the news since we spoke two years ago?
It’s happening. Burlish Bike Park is a thing. It’s mad to think back to where we were in 2021 and how far we have come. Did we get the Sport England Places to Ride grant? Yes. Did we complete the Crowdfunder? Yes. Did we get planning permission? Yes. Are the dig team awesome? Yes. Is everyone buzzing about the plans? Yes.
Putting it like that makes it sound simple but it continues to be one mad roller-coaster ride and a learning journey that no university could put together.
How has the project evolved from the original concept since then?
Everything seemed to be a battle and I fought hard to get planning permission for everything we wanted. We wanted 5 jump lines (1x blue, 2x red, 2x black), a family trail wide enough for parents to ride alongside their little riders and for disability adapted bikes and trikes and a dual slalom race track.
The only thing I have had to limit is the length of the trails as we need to have this thing called “Biodiversity Net Gain” which is basically improving the environment so the right plants and animals can thrive, so I have to set aside 50% of the land for conservation.
Every step of the journey has been challenging from sourcing funding, to getting my head around National Planning Policy Framework, Greenbelt Legislation, Technical Highway Guides, to tendering for everything. The background work has been endless.
Did you meet your Crowdfund target?
Yes of course, with the wonderful mountain bike community behind us we couldn’t fail. Genuinely so many people stepped up, 100s of individuals, small business owners, well-known brands like Schwalbe and Mudhugger, even children gave their Christmas money. However along came the cost-of-living crisis and everything has skyrocketed up in price, from the cost of dirt, to fuel in diggers, shipping containers, the lot.
Our budget has more than doubled, it’s been insane, and I’ve lost a lot of sleep, weekends, evenings trying to scratch around for funding. Back in February we were over £100,000 short of budget, very scary for a project due to be delivered in June, now we are just £20,000 short and have a second Crowdfunder on the go which once again Sport England are happy to match by 50% so if someone donates £10 it magically becomes £20.
Have you been able to access any other funding streams?
Yes. Sport England/British Cycling Places to Ride fund granted us £110,000, then this grew by £25,000, then a further £30,000 to reflect the changes in prices of everything. Severn Trent Water Community Foundation awarded up a grant of £54,000, our initial crowdfunder and endless begging letters raised £45,000. Then smaller grants and donations and trust funds have given between £100-£5000. The support has been unbelievable.
Every cheque in the post and every donation to the Crowdfunder isn’t just an extra bit of funding it’s a demonstration of community support which helps us access more funding. It is also the extra energy boost and the big hug I need when I’m on the 15th hour in a row on my laptop, the 4th planning permission battle of the day and I’ve forgotten to eat. Without everyone’s support there is no way I could have done it.
Have additional funds allowed you to expand the scope of what you planned?
With all the changes in the economy no, its enabled me to keep trudging through the endless depths of custard to deliver to my original plans and not let anything be compromised. However, raising the additional £20,000 will put us in a safe position come opening day to have a fantastic first year with lots of community engagement, coaching courses, all the maintenance required and any amendments we need to make.
How has the team involved changed since the beginning of this project?
It’s been quite unique, like a one-woman army on the front line but with a massive troop in the background just waiting for me to say “lets go”. The troop is the local mountain bike community, my friends and family. I’ve definitely had a few extra “phone a friend” cards stuffed up my sleeve. Without them none of it would be possible.
I’m not a developer or a construction manager or a planning expert but I’ve had to take on all of that alongside the day job; I run a local cycling charity (OpenTrail) and I teach children with special needs how to ride a bike for the first time. Fortunately, the previous landowner is awesome, not only did he give my charity the land to enhance for the local community but he also helped me with two probono planning advisors who have held my hand through the process. We are the only large Places to Ride funded project without a local authority development team so it’s literally been me and anyone who could volunteer their time and expertise.
What’s next in the Burlish Bike Park story?
At the moment the trail builders are working hard; a fab team from Forte Trailscapes. After 2.5 years of graft I’ve found it hard passing over control but they are literally bringing the dream to life before my eyes, and coping with all my questions. Many of them used to ride and dig at Burlish so there is a lot of love from the team. In early June it is on to the car park build, toilet block and clubhouse build, electricity, water and wastewater connections then all things being well we should be open in mid-June. That’s an exciting but scary prospect.
We will have a small cafe, a cycling club, volunteer program and coaching program. I also want to have a race team together to get a Burlish team hitting the British 4X Series and whatever else the locals fancy trying. I want the site to make mountain biking accessible to everyone no matter what their budget. On a much greater scale the land is being donated to my charity, which has an asset lock, meaning the land will always have to be used for charitable objectives of developing cycling, youth personal development and the health needs of local people.
How can people support Burlish Bike Park going forward?
The easiest way is to donate to the new Crowdfunder, even if just £1, I need over 100 people to donate to get the Sport England match funding. Share the link with your friends, family, anyone with a business who could support, we are a registered charity so there are lots of benefits to supporting us.
Anyone who has any expertise in bike parks, in running a site can drop me an email and say hello. Anyone who wants to join the volunteer team there will be lots of odd little jobs to do.
Favourite moments so far?
The whole learning journey has been amazing, the chance to deal with a large budget, several contractors, probono consultants, my very own woodland and to build my own bike park what an absolute dream. Despite all the arduous challenges the whole process has been incredible and I keep thinking “one day I’m going to miss this time”.
It’s been like a free university course; the things I know now about badgers, highways regulations and WW2 history of Stourport all to make some piles of dirt to fly bikes over. That and experiencing the genuine collaboration of the mountain bike community, my friends, family and local people. We are in a very special sport and it’s not until you say “please, help me help others” that you realise just how brilliant a sport this is.
Any disasters?
There have been plenty of sleepless nights, banging my head on the desk, sobbing my heart out and just 1 mental breakdown along the way. On a project like this there would normally be a team of consultants, but we haven’t had the budget for that. I’m told I’m successfully delivering a £700,000 project for under £300,000 thanks to the probono experts, MTB community and learning as I go.
I’ve managed to find a way to scramble over every hurdle like ecology mitigation, covid lockdowns, rising costs of everything, archaeological significant elements, protected trees, highways issues and consents, waste disposal, sourcing materials, finding contractors, the sewage connection is still giving me grief. There have been a lot of personal sacrifices, and more to come but we are nearly there and I know it’s going to be worth it.
People to thank?
Everyone who ever said “you can do this Han” when I first went public about the project there was a lot of “it will never happen”, “she’s not got a chance”, then my mates came back with “you’ve clearly never met Hannah”, “if anyone can get it done it’s her”.
Everyone who has help (to name a few) “I’m an electrician tell me how I can help” (Wayne Kennan), “I’m a highways consultant just call when you need me” (Alex Hayes), my planning advisors (Kirsty and Sam) and the landowner, Hannafin construction for being my fairy-godmothers.
Then my friends who I have asked for help, the CAD designers (Chris Morgan and Jack Hudson), architect (Alex Pearson), my financial advisor (Andrew Macdermid) and civil engineer (Olivia Plunkett-Hansen). The Williams family for being at every possible volunteer opportunity and conquering any fears from local neighbours.
My mates who have said “go get it Han!” (Tammy, Nina, Josie, Izzy, Mop, Frog, Adam, Tristan, Caldwell) of course my boyfriend Dave Richardson who has coped with “no, got to work” and my family who always have my back even looking to re-mortgage their house for this project, scraping me up off the pavement when I finally cracked, putting meals in my fridge and celebrating all the small wins along the way.
The coaching team at my charity Open Trail for picking up my day job so I can focus on Burlish. Then of course everyone who has ever donated and everyone who has come to help on the volunteer events, complete strangers that believed in me and this project. The advisors and construction team who are all helping me deliver on a budget and dealt with my “explain that again please?” (Forte Trailscapes, KGH construction service, Wyre Forest Drainage).
Also a massive shout out to the original trail builders who grafted so hard in the early years, and the current riders who continue to build, without the generations of Burlish riders we wouldn’t even have a project to deal with at all.
