Our Stories:
Meet Thomas

“I first started here in 2015. I’m a skateboard coach, however, I do a lot of different things. A lot of coaching and I’m basically Devon’s right-hand man. He can hand over to me and I’ll get the equipment, get there and do the thing. I will film and edit videos as well, for Instagram, Facebook, but most of them will go on YouTube. 

I feel like when I was young in skateboarding, it wasn’t like it is today. We didn’t have skate parks, so we’d go to Tesco car park. But now, no one has to really go through that because we’re here. So they just turn up and it’s like the best day of their life. They go in and get skating and it’s wicked. It’s nice to be able to give kids, who you see a little bit of yourself in, an opportunity that you never had. Even if that’s just down to being accepted, as a person, as a skateboarder, into the skateboard community. 

In here, we welcome all with open arms and do our absolute best to help them do whatever it is they want to do. If they don’t like skating that’s cool, we’ll get them a scooter. I bet there’s not that many places where kids feel as welcomed and safe. If we’re teaching them a skate trick, they feel safe. We’ll try and include everyone in everything. It’s great and now that we’ve got the outside built, it’s a real opportunity. It’s doubled up what we can actually do. It’s gonna be absolutely wicked.” 

LS-TEN is home to an indoor skatepark and alternative education provision. They use alternative sports like skateboarding, scootering and BMX to raise aspirations and reduce inequality. They’ve received a range of funding from Leeds Community Foundation, including grants to support outreach sessions and a beginner skateboarding club. 

If you want to play your part in supporting brilliant local Community Organisations like LS-TEN, learn how you can support us, or reach out at info@leedscf.org.uk.