Tweed Valley Trails Association (TVTA) has shared a short financial snapshot explaining what it costs to keep its trail work running, and why it is focusing on growing regular support.

In the post, TVTA puts annual running costs at around £20,000. It says roughly £17,000 of that funds its maintenance contractor, supporting two trail maintainers working two days per week for 30 weeks each year. TVTA says the remaining costs cover essential items including volunteer liability insurance, tools, and materials.

TVTA also says regular donations and subscriptions currently total around £10,000 per year, leaving a funding gap of approximately £10,000. The charity says it bridges that gap through business sponsorship, one-off visitor donations, and careful reserve management.

Paid, consistent maintenance is positioned as the longer-term sustainability lever. TVTA says its pilot maintenance project has been a success and states an ultimate goal of having full-time trail maintenance contractors operating across the valley.

Why the paid maintenance angle matters

Many UK trail networks are still maintained primarily through volunteer effort, often supported by memberships, donations and periodic fundraising. TVTA is effectively describing a blended model: volunteer time remains important, while paid maintenance capacity helps keep routine trail care consistent and scalable across the year.

TVTA has published supporter and donation options on its website.

TVTA website
Become a supporter
Make a donation

Over to the community: if you ride in areas supported by trail groups, what feels most realistic in 2026: a regular supporter membership, an occasional donation when you visit, turning up to dig days, or a mix of all three?