November 04, 2026 - 169 views
Money seized from criminals is helping children across North Wales try skateboarding for free, giving youngsters the chance to learn new skills without their parents having to pay.
Around 30 children aged between five and 12 took part in a free skateboarding session at Bangor University's Canolfan Brailsford, funded by the North Wales Police and Community Trust (PACT).
The £250 grant was secured by Police Community Support Officer Julie Broadhead, who wanted to give local children the opportunity to try something different.
The session was led by Bangor skateboarder Tom Butler, who has spent the past three years running his On ya Board community project to encourage more young people to take up the sport.
Tom said the funding helped remove financial barriers, allowing children to try skateboarding without their families having to pay for a session or buy equipment before knowing whether they enjoyed it.
He said there were no specialist skateboard shops in North Wales and no indoor skateparks, meaning opportunities for newcomers to get involved could be limited.
His project runs weekly sessions at community centres in Beaumaris and Felinheli, with additional classes during school holidays in Bangor and Holyhead.
It also includes workshops where children can design and build their own skateboards using recycled materials, including old pieces of wood and roller skates.
Tom said one of his aims was to help children develop friendships and confidence through skateboarding, while encouraging them to continue enjoying the sport independently.
Earlier this year, he received a further £2,000 from PACT's main grant fund to deliver workshops in schools and community centres.
Looking ahead, he hopes to organise more sessions for teenagers and secure funding to take them to skateparks in places such as Warrington and Liverpool, giving them somewhere to skate during the winter months.
PACT chairman Ashley Rogers attended the Bangor session and praised the enthusiasm of the children taking part.
He said the project demonstrated how funding could support positive activities, social interaction and opportunities for young people.
The money comes from cash and property seized from criminals and is reinvested in communities across North Wales through PACT's grants programme.
The independent charity, established in 1998, has supported more than 2,500 projects.
PCSO Julie Broadhead said families had travelled considerable distances to attend, including from Holyhead, Bangor and surrounding villages.
She said it had been particularly rewarding to see children grow in confidence during the session, with some progressing from struggling on their skateboards to confidently tackling the ramps.
Among those taking part was 11-year-old Rupert Cooper, from Tregarth, whose mother Lee Duggan said his confidence had grown enormously since first attending one of Tom's sessions two years ago.
She said he now attended weekly sessions in Beaumaris and had become confident enough to help other children with their skateboarding.
She added that the opportunity was important because not every child wants to play football or take part in traditional team sports.
Six-year-old Charlie Broadhead, who was skateboarding for the first time, said he had particularly enjoyed the ramps and going fast.
And Rupert said the session had been great fun, despite taking a few falls along the way.
