GNARWHARL SKATE SCHOOL
Kent
Jess
Rick started Gnarwharl Skate School in June 2022 after running a few successful sessions in the local community the previous summer.
"Signing up to Pass The Torch has helped boost what we're doing and the kids absolutely love the boards. Our main goal for the school is to make skateboarding as accessible to as many people from all walks of life as we can and with the Clown In Action community boards, w're one step closer to that goal."
Jess 19, "She's brilliant to bounce ideas off when it comes to teaching and the skate school wouldn't be what it is without her help. Her passion for skateboarding and teaching is why she's a great addition to Pass The Torch."
Nathan 11, "Nathan was selected for Pass The Torch for the way he helps out around the park on lessons. For an 11 year old he has an amazing rapport with anyone and everyone that turns up. He'll always make sure the others are learning and progressing and always puts that before his own skateboarding."
Arthur
Nathan
Arthur 10, "He has so much passion. His smile is infectious and his happiness to be on a skateboard knows no bounds. He knows all the tricks and skaters; he loves to get involved with anything and everything. He's such a positive person, and even when the session gets tough the smile is always there and he'll keep pushing on. He's very inspirational to watch."
"All three of these are fantastic role models and will really help boost our local community by getting people involved and helping nurture the up and comers. We're stoked here at Gnarwhal skate school to have them on board and look forward to what the future holds for them.”
2023
Ricky and Gnarlwharl skate school are taking part in Pass The Torch for a second year running, he has put forward two new volunteers, Zander, 8 and Freya, 13.
"You'll be hard pushed to find anyone who loves skateboarding as much as Zander. His presence at the skatepark is infectious. All the kids know and love him. The parents all love him too. He eats, breathes and sleeps skateboarding. He's always the first one there and last to leave the
park. His skills on and off a skateboard have improved tenfold since I met him last October. Its quite often I'll be looking around for him and he's taken a group of kids to a feature and set up his own session to both improve himself and encourage others on their skateboarding journey. He's an absolutely fantastic kid and I'm stoked for him to be apart of PTT/Clown in Action.
Zander
Freya
"Next we have Freya. Freya is one of the coolest, chilled people I've met on my journey as a coach. From day one she's thrown herself into every challenge with little hesitation and has become a fantastic skateboarder because of this. Freya loves a mini ramp session and I'm sure one day we'll see her competing with the greats. She's an awesome person to have at a skatepark and her easy going nature rubs off on everyone who skates with her. She's always there supporting the younger kids in the sessions and I know from speaking to them, they all see Freya as a role model and an inspiration which is amazing. She's an incredible person and I'm stoked she's apart of PTT/Clown in Action too."
Ricky kindly sent us a little synopsis of how Pass The Torch was for his volunteers in 2023.
"The kids loved being part of a wider project and it shows in their confidence now. Of course they loved their freebies too. But seeing how they all took on some small responsibility's was really good to see and given them a huge confidence boost going forward."