Sports & Wellbeing Archives - Page 2 of 6

14 May

Bella B: I learned to skateboard, but this is what skateboarding taught me

Blackpool Social Club0 CommentsSports & Wellbeingskate, skate culture, Skateboard

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] As Mental Health Awareness Week 2021 draws to a close, we're pleased to bring you this brilliant guest article from mental health advocate and skateboarder Bella Borgers [/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]I’ll be honest – some days I think: wow, I really shouldn’t be on a skateboard. I’m terrible at looking both ways before I cross the street and I feel genuinely guilty about the number of times I’ve literally stepped on my mother’s toes – I’m that clumsy. Not to mention, I burst into tears when I’m afraid (even at the sudden whisper of BOO!) and I’m completely anxiety-ridden when I feel…

18 Mar

Stanley Park Skatepark Project gets off the ground

Antonia Charlesworth0 CommentsLocal News, Sports & WellbeingBlackpool, development, news, Skateboard, skateboarding, skatepark

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Project manager Simon Bennett tells Antonia Charlesworth about plans for Blackpool’s own state of the art skateboarding facility Construction on Blackpool’s own plaza-style skatepark is expected in the coming weeks, the duo behind it have told Blackpool Social Club. Blackpool’s go-to skate expert Woody, of Big Woody's Skate Shop, and project manager Simon Bennett have raised over £200,000 for the 100 per cent concrete skatepark which will replace the existing dilapidated equipment and replicate street furniture, such as steps, rails and curbs. The pair also hope to build a California-style bowl. The planning application for the project is in…

10 Mar

The Skate Escape: Lewis Farley & Plant Skate Co

Claire Griffiths0 CommentsEnvironment and Nature, Sports & WellbeingBlackpool, Film Making, Skateboard, skateboarding

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] I met Lewis Farley years ago filming an event at The Grand Theatre, it's interesting how many filmmakers are also skateboarders. In a further instalment of "Blackpool Skate Stories", we talk about a new skate park, making films, mental health and what skating means to him [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Tell me about you - who you are and what you do. Hello, I'm Lewis - a Blackpool-based filmmaker/skateboarder. I'm currently running Plant Skate Co with two of my friends. [/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Can you tell me what came first film making or skating? Skateboarding came first for sure, I started skateboarding when I…

07 Mar

Blackpool Skateboard Stories: Curb Culture

Catherine Mugonyi0 CommentsSports & Wellbeingenvironment, skate, skate culture, Skateboard

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] If you follow BSC on Instagram, you may have seen @curb.culture pop up a couple of times. The profile is full of vibrant images caught on 35mm film and video clips showing a variety of skaters honing and showing off their skills, but more importantly having an awesome time doing it. Continuing BSC’s skate season, I had a virtual meet-up with Adam Hopkin, skater, journalist, photographer and founder of Curb Culture: A zine that highlights independent skate culture.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]How did Curb Culture come about? Despite being in Blackpool for so long I've never had any contact with any of the creative…

07 Mar

Blackpool Skateboard Stories: Girl skaters get some air

Antonia Charlesworth0 CommentsSports & Wellbeingskate culture, Skateboard, women

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Whether it’s complete newbies or people returning to the sport, everyone is welcome at Ramp City’s Girls’ Skate Night. Antonia Charlesworth steps tentatively onto her board. Photos: Claire Griffiths I’m standing on a skateboard for the first time in almost twenty years. The last time resulted in a few weeks in a luminous pink cast on my left arm and now I have a lot more to lose. The truth is, even then I was no badass rider – it was a guy friend’s deck and I was feeling brave and asked for a go. I learnt my painful…

07 Mar

In Her Place: Urban Skateboarding

Stephanie Cottle0 CommentsColumns & Opinion, Sports & WellbeingBlackpool, community, Place, skate, skate culture, Skateboard, women

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] In another instalment of In Her Place Stephanie Cottle looks back before skating into the future. If I was asked as a kid to imagine what the year 2020 would look like, I can guarantee that I would have envisioned the fun, futuristic depictions from my favourite childhood films. I’m talking teenagers on hoverboards and self-lacing trainers – the really important stuff. We all know the rather less exciting reality of 2020 was that instead of jetting off to have silver suit adventures in flying cars, we’ve faced extraordinarily tight restrictions on our movements. No planes, no trains, no automobiles. Back in March…

26 Nov

Bringing The Great Outdoors Indoors: Kendal Mountain Festival celebrates its 40th anniversary

Blackpool Social Club0 CommentsSports & Wellbeingfestival, Film

Kendal Mountain Festival celebrates its 40th anniversary, moving its spectacular line-up of films, live events, guest speakers, and literature programme online. Following the announcement that the world-famous event will be broadcast online, ensuring its mission to showcase inspiring, soul-stirring outdoor adventure continues. Stories about people, from all walks of life, doing extraordinary things. It’s an exciting step for an event that, for the last 40 years, has been connecting like-minded people who want to share their passion for the world of mountains, nature, and the natural beauty around us. "What's that got to do with Blackpool?" you say Well, Blackpool photographer…

10 Oct

Blackpool Football Club urges us to ‘Get Vocal’ about mental health

Jill Reidy0 CommentsLocal News, Sports & Wellbeingbfc, Blackpool Council, Blackpool Football Club, documentary photography, Football, mental health, sport, wellbeing, wellness

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] For a second consecutive year Blackpool Football Club has partnered with the Council’s Get Vocal campaign. The campaign was launched in 2018 and aims to encourage residents in Blackpool to look after their mental health. The message is directed at all adults in Blackpool, particularly to men and middle-aged people, who may be at risk of poor mental health, but who might not seek help. This partnership will see the branding for the Get Vocal campaign on the front of the team’s third kit away shirts for the 2020/21 football season. The team will wear the new shirts for the…

24 Sep

Our Time and Our Turn – Female skateboarders return to the ramps

Antonia Charlesworth0 CommentsFood and Drink, Local News, Sports & WellbeingRampcity, skate, skate culture

Blackpool’s female skateboarders are set to return to Ramp City for the popular girls’ nights launched shortly before lockdown. Chris ‘Woody’ Wood, a well-known fixture of Blackpool’s skate scene and owner of Big Woody’s skate shop was inspired to start running female-only skate nights after noticing a growing number of girls buying boards while the ramps in Blackpool’s renowned indoor skatepark remained largely dominated by men. When over 40 females of all ages turned up to the inaugural event in January, it was clear they had just been waiting for permission. Two successful nights were held before lockdown was imposed,…

21 Sep

Matthew Disney: Rising to the Challenge

Blackpool Social Club0 CommentsSports & Wellbeing

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text] Abby first met Matthew Disney 12 years ago at a fancy-dress party and send off for a tour of Afghanistan. At the time he was loud, eccentric and the life and soul of the party; someone people might describe as a ‘bit of a character’. Fast forward to today, and those traits are still apparent. These days, however, Matt has grown to channel his enthusiasm, determination and creativity for the greater good: creating seemingly impossible challenges for himself to conquer, all in the name of raising money for causes close to his heart. Catching up with him recently to…