Boost for Local Skateboarding as Sky Brown Wins Bronze

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Funding given for free summer classes for Wandsworth children

Sky Brown competing at the Tokyo Olympics. Picture: @TeamGB

Free skateboarding and inline skating sessions are being made available to 256 children in the borough over the summer holidays.

The sessions, which are to be offered to young people aged 7-17 in receipt of free school meals, look likely to be popular following 13-year-old Sky Brown’s skateboarding bronze medal in the Olympic games which is widely expected to lead to a surge of interest in the sport.

They will be provided by urban sports organisation Urban Studio Sessions and healthy meals and nutrition education will be included.

Urban Studio Sessions received another round of funding from Wandsworth council’s Holiday and Food Programme (HAF) ‘Summer Unlocked 2021’ a centralised government initiative by the Department of Education. This will allow it to deliver for four weeks of the summer holidays to Wandsworth residents including children and young people who attend Wandsworth schools and alternative education provision.

This follows on from its successful Easter HAF programme. Urban Studio Sessions says, “As a grassroots South London organisation, we feel we are able to tackle food hunger and physical activity in our community by increasing participation in what we do well, which is Skateboarding and Inline skating and working with local partners to achieve our objectives”.

The ‘Summer Unlocked’ 2021 ‘EAT SLEEP SKATE REPEAT sessions combines healthy eating workshops, and a meal provided by Head Chef Laura Amos at the Dessert Deli. The HAF programme will be delivered from 26 July-20 August.

Urban Studio Sessions also provides weekly Sk8orade clubs, private 1-2-1 sessions, including art programmes.

Urban Studio Sessions are creating training and employability path routes for young people to become Skateboard GB qualified instructors. The organisation has developed a good relationship with Skateboard GB, the official governing body for skateboarding in the UK. In recent weeks Urban Studio Sessions have trained and provided official skateboard England certification for two young people aged 18-24 years, who are ready and equipped to support the project this summer.

During the pandemic Urban Studio Sessions loaned over 60 skateboards and inline skates to families across Wandsworth and other south London boroughs, offering virtual tuition. The organisation encouraged children and parents to upload video clips, and combined this with face-to-face support in line with government advice.

“At least 95% of children and young people who entered this programme progressed quickly from beginner to intermediate level. They are able to kickflip, Olley, confidently glide the ramps and continue to independently access local skate parks”.

Its work has been praised by supporters including schools, parents, the Mayor of Wandsworth, local funder the Big local SW11, Mayor of London Stronger Communities Fund and Skateboard GB.

To register your child on the EAT SLEEP SKATE REPEAT Summer Unlocked programme click here.

 

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August 4, 2021