During this year’s festival weekend, Bradley Stoke Town Council (BSTC) youth workers and local young people are repeating and enhancing the successful formula of recent years. The mix of skate park skills and creative arts will include competitions, demonstrations and have-a-go sessions at both the main Community Festival site (on Saturday 8th June) and at the skate park (on Sunday 9th June).
Saturday 8th June
The Jubilee Green side of Saturday’s festival will host, side by side, King Ramps skate park half-pipe and street art sessions, along with information on other BSTC youth work projects.
By popular demand, the street art demos and have-a-go painting sessions return, with artists (The Paintsmiths) working alongside youth workers and young volunteers. In recent years these sessions have proved extremely popular with children and young people, and last year children created about 50 individual pieces of artwork to proudly take home for display. The sessions have also led to community art projects like the large pieces displayed at Bradley Stoke skate park.
The King Ramps half-pipe returns and offers the chance to see some exceptional skate park demonstrations by top BMX, scooter and skateboard pro riders and skaters, as well as regular have-a-go sessions (with some equipment provided), music and an MC.
At the youth work tent, there will be the chance to find out about and discuss other Bradley Stoke youth work projects and developments, as well as signing up for Sunday’s skate park competition.
Sunday 9th June
The annual Festival Skate Park Competition features a mix of competitions in all skate park disciplines, interspersed with more pro rider demos, music, a circus skills workshop (popular with younger attendees) and much more.
The King Ramps half-pipe will be relocated alongside the skate park to provide extra capacity and there will be competitions for scooter, BMX, skateboard and inline skate disciplines.
The Sunday competition will run between 1pm and 5pm with registration between 11am and 12.30pm (but please try to get entry forms in before the day as it will greatly help with planning).
General information, including event poster/flier, competition entry and consent forms and the planned running order of the day can be found on the Bradley Stoke Town Council website at www.bradleystoke.gov.uk/new-skatepark.php and on the young people’s Facebook page (‘Bradley Stoke Skatepark’).
There will be separate competitions for BMX & skateboards with the following categories: 12 years old & younger; 13 to 16 years and 17+ years (and sponsored riders). However, within the scooter competitions there is a slight change to the age groups, with competitions for 12 years old & younger, 13 to 15 years and 16+ (and sponsored riders). There is a £3 entrance fee for each competition with an array of prizes to be won. Wearing appropriate helmets is compulsory and a limited number will be available to loan. All are welcome to both days, so come along and be amazed by some of the skills and talents of local young people, both as competitors and organisers.
Young people’s involvement in planning and organising the festival is supported by Bradley Stoke Town Council’s youth development & participation worker and other youth work staff. If you are a young person living in the Bradley Stoke area and aged 11 to 19 who would like to find out about our other youth work and youth participation projects, or would like to get involved as a young person or volunteer, please contact the youth development & participation worker on 07900 253826 or email graham.baker@bradleystoke.gov.uk
More information: Bradley Stoke Community Festival 2019
This article originally appeared in the June 2019 issue of the Bradley Stoke Journal magazine (on page 23). The magazine is delivered FREE, EVERY MONTH (except August), to ALL 8,700 homes in Bradley Stoke. Phone 01454 300 400 to enquire about advertising or leaflet insertion.
