Get on board: how the North West’s skateboard community thrives

After it was set-up by CEO John Haines in 2004, Projekts MCR transformed this abandoned land under the flyover into a hub for skaters to do what they love.

Lucas Socha is a 28-year-old skate instructor at the park who coaches the adult nights session.

What he loves about the park is how they have been able to nurture a tight community of skaters who are willing to help each other.

Lucas said: “When you strike up a conversation most of the time, everyone's willing to give you a helping hand.”

Previously a full time coach at the park he took a step away to focus on a career as a paramedic.

While on the surface it may seem like a completely different route from skating, his initiative to become a paramedic was formed when coaching the Pipeline Project team, a pathway for athletes to represent Great Britain at the games, at tournaments.

He said: “As soon as someone's hurt, before I can even think, I'm there in front and I'm like how can we fix this?

“I really enjoyed that process, and so that actually helped carve my way I am in now.”

Someone who has benefitted from the spaces togetherness is Phil Stainton.

Ever since the 33-year-old picked his board back up during lockdown and headed to the park.

He hasn’t looked back.

“Once I came down here, I just wanted to keep coming,” Phil said.

“I made like a good friend group just through skating, it is a super friendly and family environment.”

This family atmosphere can be felt throughout the park with Lucas’ brother Caylan Socha, 25, also coaching at the park.

His journey into skating came through working at the café. Not content with just staying on the sidelines he thought why not ‘give it a go’.

He said: “Projekts has always been a very welcoming space and I was just in the environment so I thought why not just give it a go.”

It is not just another skatepark, events are at the heart of the space with nights for the LGTBQ+ community and children in referral units.

“A place like projects is invaluable in the sense of providing those safe spaces, especially for vulnerable and marginalized people,” Caylan explained.

“We have everything incorporated to provide a safe environment for people to just enjoy the space and it's just amazing.”

By fostering this inclusive spirit it has inspired others to create their own groups.

And down the East Lancs road, that is where Liverpool Girl Skaters come in.

Steff Norton created the group after attending the women’s only session at the Manchester park.

A year later, with encouragement from the friends she made there, her all girl skater group was born.

She said: “For us it is just making our presence known, wherever we are, to show there is a female skateboarding community out there.

“Which is hopefully encouraging younger girls to be like, ‘Oh, I can do that too’.”

Their meetups are promoted on their Instagram page with outdoor days in the DIY park New Bird or on rainy days they find themselves indoors at Ramp One in Warrington.

Now in her early 30s, Norton works full time as a barista trainer so she has had to balance between work and the group.

But this year she is hoping to be more involved and put on more events.

Collaboration is at the core of the group as they have teamed up with Lost Art skateboard shop and an all girls surf skate collective. The latter they met up with on Liverpool’s Pier Head for International Women’s Day.

Steff said: “It is important to have that day, but also making sure every day is just as important to show that women are part of that community.”

While talking about the event it led her to reflect on how far her project has come.

“Five years ago it was just like me, my friend, and maybe a few girls skating at the Pier Head,” she explained.

“The other night it was an emotional thing for me to see the majority of women skating and seeing that change over that time is just really empowering for the community.”

Skate GBs 2023 annual report showed that through their Pipeline Project pathway that 30% of athletes chosen were female with 65% under 18.

What makes her proud about creating the group was not just girls landing tricks they have worked hard on or seeing someone gain confidence - it was bringing a community of women together.

“The proudest thing is just encouraging other women to kind of get into the sport because that's the hardest thing,” Steff said.

“I'm in my 30s now, and I especially feel like in that era of women you couldn't do those things, and to see more women who are older get into it, I think that's really amazing to see.”

Skateboarding does not just equip you with the tricks to glide across ramps, Steff knows it can give you the skills to improve your mental well being.

She said: “It builds yourself and your confidence, not just in skateboarding, but in life, it gives you the ability to have a clear mindset and resilience to continue with life.”