S L E E H W N O LIFE
Skating has found plenty of new fans in an era that has seen us going in and out of lockdowns, providing a doable outdoor activity and a release from the mental strains of being forced to stay inside for weeks on end. Many will be familiar with the sight of the Brighton Tuesday Night Street Skate, which sees – when it’s allowable – groups of up to around 70 quad and inline skaters roll through the city, often dressed up and sporting lights. Brighton Skate was founded in 2010 by Kris Ward, aka Skatemeister, with Liam Boraman, “just for fun so people could skate together as a group”. Kris says: “We don’t know what sport we like until we give it a go. Just watching someone skate well in any way can give you inspiration to at least have a go. The feeling you get from skating has been described as floating or a flying sensation. The freedom you get from skating is amazing, you can skate in many different places and locations and also in groups and with many different people. The skate community in Brighton is second to none, which also leads to friendships and gives out a general positive vibe. “As well as a physical activity, skating has great mental health benefits too. “Skaters I have met over the years said that the Brighton Skate had helped them through tough times in their lives, giving them a distraction from the issues they were dealing with. I started Brighton skate on one visit to join a street skate in London called London Skate, which is a street skate through the streets of London. “I am hoping Brighton & Hove City Council will take note of the roller skating scene and provide Brighton seafront with a skate space for not just the UK skate scene but the international skate scene to draw attention to one of the most vibrant cities in the UK.” Over the next few pages some of Brighton & Hove’s skating community share their thoughts on the scene.
