A £5,000 boost is being given to skateboarding for young people in the Clay Country – with the hope of further support in the coming years.

The Roche-based TR7 Skatepark and Imerys British Lithium have launched a programme to help youngsters get into skateboarding.

Imerys British Lithium has donated £5,000 from its community fund to TR7, which is a CIC (community interest company), to enable 22 young people from the Clay Country to access the indoor skate facilities at Victoria Business Park.

The programme team will work with schools to identify young people who would benefit from this opportunity.

Each participant will be enrolled in a mentorship programme and receive skateboarding lessons and then free access to five open skate sessions for further practice. Those taking part will also be given equipment including a skateboard, a helmet and pads.

The initiative is designed to remove financial barriers and support young people in building skills, confidence and positive routines through skateboarding in a safe, welcoming space.

Martina Biquard, co-founder of the TR7 Skatepark, said: “This funding will have a real and lasting impact. Many young people in this area face barriers to accessing activities like skateboarding. By removing the cost of coaching, equipment and access, we can offer a pathway to improved confidence, routine and mental wellbeing.”

Edwin Berends, of Imerys British Lithium, said: “The team at TR7 does an incredible job of coaching and developing young people, so we wanted to support this work and enable the team to reach out to more local kids who would not otherwise be able to benefit.

“We hope we can continue this work every year, and then have a real impact on the local area. We plan to offer some extra help in the way of visits to our lithium plant and mine site, maybe even work experience and career guidance.”