Forestry Commission - News - new team sought to build on biking success

The 7stanes mountain bike project is looking for a bigger team to help keep Scotland a major destination for bikers from all over the world.

The project has been running for three years and has built seven popular mountain bike centres right across the south of Scotland. The network of trails has been a major contributing factor in Scotland being voted one of the top five places to go in the world for mountain biking, bringing an additional Ł2.9 million into the south of Scotland economy and helping create 71 job opportunities.

The EU supported partnership project has just been awarded a further Ł1.7 million to develop plans to widen out the sport to newcomers, families and community groups. In recognition of the range and size of new work to be undertaken, a bigger team is needed, which will support the project until the end of 2007.

In keeping with the requirements of the EU funding, the team is being recruited through open competition and applications for the following posts are being sought before the closing date of 12 September 2005.

Project manager
Lead Development Co-ordinator (part time)
2 Development Co-ordinators (part-time)
Technical officer (part-time)

Bill Meadows, who leads Forestry Commission Scotland's input into the 7stanes partnership project, said:

"We've been amazed at just how successful the first three years of the 7stanes project has been. There has been a tremendous amount of work undertaken by the partners and the goodwill shown from mountain bikers across Britain has been brilliant. However, with the increased workload and new areas of work to be tackled, it is clear that we need a bigger team to manage and implement the project.

"For the second phase, our main focus is to widen access to the sport of mountain biking to all those people who have never tried it or to families who also want to ride great trails. The project team will make close links with community groups to help bring mountain biking to a whole new range of people. They will also work closely with local companies to explore business opportunites arising from the project."

A new network of family friendly beginner trails are to be build at each of the centres, as well as a skills loops to help newcomers gain confidence in bike handling. An outreach programme, carried out by new development co-ordinators, will make contact with community and disabled groups so that everyone can have a chance of getting on a mountain bike.

For further information and application forms on the posts being advertised, log on to www.forestry.gov.uk/vacanices. Alternatively write to Shireen West, HR Services, Silvan House, 231 Corstorphine Road, Edinburgh, EH12 7AT stating the correct reference number to the post that you are interested in. You can also email recruitment@forestry.gsi.gov.uk stating your name and full address and ref number of the post. Closing date for applications is 12 September 2005.

Notes to news editors

1. The 7stanes project is being managed by Forestry Commission Scotland with partners Scottish Enterprise Dumfries & Galloway, Dumfries & Galloway Council, Scottish Natural Heritage, Scottish Enterprise Borders, Scottish Borders Council, Solway Heritage, Scottish Power and Visit Scotland. The Scottish Association for Mental Health has also been supporting the project. Including the new funding package, by 2007, a total of Ł3.6 million will have been invested in the project, almost half of it match funded from Europe.

2. The current 7stanes project team consists of two staff - a project manager and part-time administrative officer. To reflect the increase and variety of duties undertaken, the new post of Project Manager for Phase 2 is graded higher than the initial manager post which took forward the work in Phase 1 of the project. The regulations governing the EU funding for the project means that all the posts proposed for Phase 2 must be put out for open competition.

3. Media enquiries about the 7stanes to: Steve Williams, Forestry Commission Scotland press office, 0131 314 6508.