Straford Skate Hub – City Mill Skate

Skate Gals & Pals wish to create a semi-permanent skating facility at Pool St, London E20 2AF Near UCL Stratford Campus with City Mill Skate. With the equipment and mobile skatepark stored in a container, to allow other residents to access the space.

Our aims are to give more variety of physical activities options to Newham residents and facilitate a space for local skaters, for people of all generations and genders in Newham, at no or low-cost.

Due to youth clubs and after school clubs being defunded there are a lack of activities available to young people in the area which increases the criminalisation of local youth. We would like to bring after school and weekend programs.

Create sisterhood amongst girls to support each other instead of being against each other. We would like to deliver two skateboarding programs to young girls under 18. 

Our project would increase the use of City Mill Skatepark by the local community. There is currently a lack of skating facilities in the whole of Newham, yet it is an ideal place to install a mobile skatepark and start skate sessions as it is easily accessible by transport and in a safe location for participants to get to with a large area available for sport activities. For years people from all over London have been coming to Stratford for roller skating. We believe it is time to dedicate a space to those already practising and those wanting to learn. Moreover, the park will install new skate facilities on the Newham side which is the opportunity to develop more technical skate programs for participants to continuously evolve outside of provided sessions.

To respect the natural environment of the park we will be working with a local school to decorate and paint a mural on the container to blend with the park landscape.

We would like to collaboratively deliver a range of activities to our local community such as:

For all skaters and skateboarders;

• Deliver weekly open skate sessions for adults, 
• Group skate lessons for families and people of all ages, 
• Group lessons for kids,
•  1-to-1 skate lessons,
•  After-school groups skate programs, 
• Skate meet-ups, 
• Skate jams events. 
• Deliver school programs to local schools.
• Use the facility to re-run weekend Roller skating activities for both Adults and Youths
• Beginner Coaching lessons, 
• Open Skate session for roller-skaters, 
• Jam Skate lessons for those wanting to learn how to dance on skates,
• Skate Jams events.

Check out our current work at the Olympic Park for adults:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=flxqM82p7i0

Our work with young girls:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tUxTkZjmRBQ

Updates:

• Planning permissions have been completed!
• We have launched our skate coaching program where we commission 10 experienced skaters from our community to come teach with Our We Skate London sessions, BPOC Beginner sessions, Meet-Ups and Drop-Ins at City Mill Skatepark!
• We are in the consultancy stages with out container provider, getting closer to being able to provide skating equipment onsite!
• We have contracted 2 project coordinators for the project!

Our skating schedule with City Mill Skatepark is as follows:

Wednesday SGP We Skate London Sessions (Kids Only)

• Promotes gender equality and a safe space for practice
• For kids of marginalised genders
• Coaches arrive at 4pm and will end at 6pm

SGP and MSGP Saturday Sessions

Saturday Drop-Ins (Everyone)

• Coaches will be helping adults learn how to skate on a as needed basis
• Open to all, with equipment provided
• Starts at 10:15 and ends at 11:15 with the aid of two coaches

Saturday BPOC Only Beginner Sessions

• These sessions we will be teaching BPOC only adults with little to experience how to skate
• Equipment provided and lessens the gap between class and race within the sport
• Sessions start at 12:30pm and end at 1:30 pm, coaches will be available

Saturday BPOC Only Meet Up Sessions

• These sessions are for BPOC skaters to get together, skate and build community freely.
• Sessions start at 3pm - onwards.

We have successfully run a number of community workshops such as;

• Introduction to DJ'ing Workshop w/ Pioneer DJ Global & Red Bull UK
• MAKE IT LONDON/Hugo Boss video campaign feature showcasing women owned businesses.
• Creative Writing
• Creative Employment Sessions
• Grant Writing
• Jewellrey making and "how to" Crochet
• Book Clubs
• Art Trails
• Community Get Together's - workshops within community centres in the area involving the children and parents.
• Skatestival - a camp for BPOC/QTBPOC women & non-binary skaters to get together, skate and participate in outdoor activities.
• Go Skateboarding Day event with RedBull
• Hosted our first Birthday with Snapchat
• Hosted events in NYC & Paris and bridged with other BPOC Skate organisations.

We have expanded MSGP and SGP across social platforms and continue to create a better, safer space for the BPOC/QTBPOC community within skating.