Forest of Dean mountain biking volunteers honoured with royal award

A dedicated team of 147 volunteers from the Forest of Dean have been awarded The King's Award for Voluntary Service, celebrating their contributions to the Forest's vibrant mountain biking community.

The Dean Trail Volunteers (DTV) are an organisation dedicated to building maintaining, and enhancing mountain biking trails which all links nicely to the Forest of Dean Cycle Centre, one of the best mountain bike destinations in the UK with 18 trails.

This award recognises DTV’s commitment to making sure the trails are world-class to attract cyclists of all abilities as well as fostering a strong community engagement and bring positive benefits to the Forest economy. The Forest of Dean has long been a premier destination for mountain biking, which have produced world champions, most recently including Charlie Hatton, who became the 2023 UCI Downhill World Champion.

READ MORE: Night-time symptom is early warning of diabetes, says GP Dr Patel

READ MORE: Gloucester couple in tent both punched in the face and rushed to hospital

DTV has been instrumental in upholding a five-year masterplan with Forestry England to develop sustainable, accessible trails across 516 hectares, with the Forest of Dean Cycle Centre welcoming approximately 300,000 visitors from all over the world each year. As one of the leading trail volunteer groups in the UK to work in formal partnership with Forestry England, to win this award means a lot to the volunteers.

Kevin Stannard, Deputy Surveyor for the Forest of Dean at Forestry England, commended DTV’s achievements. Kevin said: “Dean Trail Volunteers have been pivotal to the success of the Forest of Dean Cycle Centre. Their dedication extends beyond trail maintenance - they have fostered a real community, providing an essential space for volunteers and visitors alike to connect with the Forest, its wildlife and history.”

British rider Katy Curd is also a four times World Champion, founder of Katy Curd Coaching and was also involved at the 2024 Paris Olympics as Team GB's Mountain Biking Tech Coach. Katy is also full of praise for what DTV have achieved because of their dedication. Katy said: “Without DTV, we wouldn’t have the fantastic trail network that supports not only my coaching business but also British Cycling’s Olympic program. They’ve created a safe environment for people to progress in mountain biking and a welcoming community for volunteers from all backgrounds.”