Swindon Skate Scene

Check this awesome video edited by Tom Price showing some of talent the Swindon skate scene has to offer.

The video was shot at ATB Skate Warehouse in Swindon who have been big supporters in the SNAPS movement. For those of you that don't know, the ATBShop Skate Warehouse is Swindon's only indoor skate park. It houses a showroom, workshop and a cafe where youths can hang out. It has proved to be a huge success, with many skateboarders, in-line skaters and scooter riders using it every night.

The skate park is split into two sections, a street section with moveable ramps and the main park which consists of a 5ft mini ramp, a 7ft 6in roll-in and a 13ft ‘shoot the moon’ ramp.

It's places like this as well as causes like SNAPS and the many forms of skating talent we have here that are keeping Swindon's skate culture alive. 

Show some love and support to the guys at ATB by visiting their shop-
Monday – Friday: 11am – 6pm
Saturday: 10am – 6pm
Sunday: 12pm – 5.30pm
Email address: sales@atbshop.co.uk
Phone: 01793 523244Address: Unit 1, Newcombe Dr, Hawksworth Ind Est, Swindon, SN2 1DZ
PRINTABLE DIRECTIONS

You could also like their Facebook page, follow their Twitter and Google plus, check out their Youtube channel, and visit their website.

As well as skateboarders, BMX & scooter riders, skate shops, skate parks, roller disco nights, and an amazing campaign for a 'proper' skate park, we also have a fantastic Rollerderby team. Our local team is amazing and we should all be supporting them and the sport itself, as the women that play roller derby serve as excellent role models!

Roller derby is more than just circling around on skates. It’s a fast, sometimes aggressive and very addictive sport. It’s great to watch and is a sport all about fun and fitness, a sport that doesn't discriminate and any body shape is an asset and it's a sport where you can embrace your own identity (some of the names given to individual players and teams are awesome)!

If this sounds like something you would like to be involved in and you live locally then click here  to find out more about joining the league 
Our (Swindon) local league is ‘Wiltshire Roller Derby’ which is an all female sports league based here in Swindon. Wiltshire Roller Derby is Wiltshire’s only roller derby league and the league has been together since March 2012. 

They train extremely hard to compete against other leagues both locally and nationally. 

Roller derby is all about fun, friendship and self growth and Wiltshire Roller Derby are dedicated to getting more women into sport and helping them to lead a more active lifestyle.

All of the training, planning and organising is done by the skaters, which they have to fit in between the skating and their day to day lives. Everybody involved with Wiltshire Roller Derby is very committed and just like other roller derby teams, a lot of people are putting in a lot of time, effort and their own money to grow the sport.

Support Your Local Roller Derby League

Show your support. Attend the tournaments and cheer them on. And be sure to attend any events they put on.Visit the website, follow their Twitter,  and be sure to visit the Facebook, Hit that 'like' button whilst you're there.

Main League training sessions are every Sunday from 6 - 8pm and Tuesday  8 - 10pm at Nova Hreod College in Swindon.

Regular 12 week beginners sessions are held on Thursday evenings from 7 - 8:30pm at Isambard Community School in Swindon.

As a community we need to make sure we are fighting for our skate scene, because it's an activity for young people to thrive, keep active, learn new skills and meet new people. It's community groups like SNAPS that are fighting endlessly for this.

SNAPS is a strongly established community group based in the heart of Swindon, campaigning for a new, modern user designed skate park to built in the area. A 'concrete paradise' where Swindon's urban culture can thrive and be proud of.
There have been so many occasions where I have heard people say things like "the youth of today wouldn't misbehave or hang around in big groups outside shops if they had somewhere to go". This is a statement that I myself, and I'm sure many others agree with, in the sense that if there were exciting places to hang out, exhilarating things to do, then maybe our youth would be a whole lot happier. I mean, we all tend to do random things when we are faced with utter boredom. So lets change that. Let's give young people more things to do. Lets create places where they actually would enjoy being. Let's create activities that they would actually like to take part in.
Which links me nicely to this..
Imagine..
An exciting place where young people can go to express their culture, be themselves, socialise, and develop/learn skating skills.

Obviously this isn't going to solve every problem facing the youth, but it's definitely a great start! It's ideas like this that keep our communities thriving. When a group of people decide to make a change, and bring a positive new project to their home town. This is definitely one of those life changing projects, that will see a lot of youths much happier. This project has even been backed by superstar DJ Fatboy Slim when he performed at the Oasis Swindon.

Due to the current economic climate SNAPS cannot rely on donations from local sources such as Swindon Borough Council, so are aiming to raise funds themselves as well as applying for lottery grants and corporate sponsorship. 

Help SUPPORT this project

Like their Official Facebook Page, Follow their official Twitter page, Email snapscommunity@gmail.com with offers of help and advice. You can even Donate 

to the cause.. OR Purchase yourself one of these...screenprinted soft style tees £12 (All proceeds going to SNAPS)

Select your size

Small 34-36" chest Medium 38-40" chest Large 42-44" chest X-Large 46-48

Thank you for taking the time to read this. If you have anything you want to add to this blog or any skate events, info you want posted, just hit me up on danielletylp@gmail.com