Save Crow Wood Skatepark - Phase 1

Aim

Phase 1: Help Charlie, 10, prove Sowerby Bridge wants its skatepark back — backed by council, councillors and MP Kate Dearden!

Hi. My name is Charlie Ryan. I am 10 years old and I live in Sowerby Bridge.

I love skateboarding, scooting and cycling. But there is one place I should be able to do all of that , Crow Wood Park, my local park, and right now it is nearly impossible. The skatepark is cracked, full of holes, and genuinely dangerous. I have to travel far and wide every week to find a skatepark that is safe and fit for purpose.

So I decided to do something about it.

What I have done so far

I did not just complain. I wrote formal letters to my local ward councillors and to our MP Kate Dearden. Kate Dearden instructed Calderdale Parks to carry out an official inspection of the skatepark. That inspection confirmed what I already knew — the skatepark is in poor condition.

When the council said it had no money to fix it, I decided to raise the money myself. Here is what has happened since:

• Received two written replies from the House of Commons
• Calderdale Council has officially granted written permission in principle for renovation or replacement of the skatepark
• All local ward councillors from Sowerby Bridge and the newly formed Wainhouse Ward are backing the campaign
• MP Kate Dearden visited Crow Wood Skatepark in person — she signed the petition and is writing a formal letter of support for grant applications
• MP Kate Dearden has publicly endorsed the campaign on social media
• The Deputy Mayor of Calderdale Jackie Wilson attended my festival stall in person
• Calderdale Council's Town Centre Programme Manager is fully supporting the project — the council are commissioning an external consultant to develop a full project plan
• Councillor Adam Wilkinson will formally present the campaign at the full Calderdale Council meeting on 22nd July
• My headteacher has written an official letter of support
• I presented my campaign in a whole-school assembly 
• Trinity Academy Grammar and Trinity Sixth Form Academy are both supporting the campaign
• Over 1300 people have signed my petition — children aged 7–18, parents, grandparents and local seniors
• Crow Wood Bowls, Friends of Crow Wood Park and Pétanque Club have given their full support
• Sowerby Bridge CIC have come on board as a full partner are our official umbrella organisation,  All funds are received and ring-fenced through their community bank account — improving Crow Wood Park was already in their project plan!
• Coversure Insurance are sponsoring the campaign with £500 for marketing support
• SC9 Skateboarding are backing the campaign with merchandise and support

This Crowdfunder is Phase 1 — here is why that matters

Our target here is £10,000. That is not the cost of the redevelopment — and it is not meant to be.

This is Phase 1 of a carefully planned, multi-phase funding strategy. The money raised through this Crowdfunder is our community contribution — the proof that the people of Sowerby Bridge care enough to back this campaign with real pounds. That proof is what unlocks the big money.

Once we have demonstrated strong community support here, we will be applying to Sport England, the National Lottery Community Fund, the FCC Communities Foundation and other major grant bodies — who between them could contribute the funds needed for the full renovation. Major grant funders do not award large capital grants without first seeing genuine community backing. This Crowdfunder is how we prove we have it.

Your donation here does not just contribute to £10,000. It multiplies. Every pound you give strengthens every major grant application that follows. 

Why redeveloping the skatepark matters

Crow Wood Skatepark belongs to everyone in Sowerby Bridge. It is free to use — meaning every child can access it regardless of their family's income. Right now it is a hazard. A new skatepark would mean:

• A safe, modern facility for skateboarders, scooter riders and cyclists of all ages and abilities
• A free outdoor space that keeps young people active, social and off screens
• Somewhere for older children to go once they have outgrown the play area
• A reduction in the risk of young people riding on roads and in car parks
• A community asset that brings people together — skateboarding is now an Olympic sport
• A facility that serves the whole community, from young children on scooters to teenagers on skateboards
• Bolton Brow Primary runs a very successful weekly skateboarding club — but the children who attend have nowhere safe to practise outside of it

How the money will be used

All donations are received and managed by Sowerby Bridge CIC, a registered community interest company on behalf of the Crow Wood Skatepark Project. (Company number 17081383). The £10,000 will be used to move the skatepark campaign forward and cover costs such as surveys, designs, campaign materials and further fundraising etc. Funds are ring-fenced and fully accountable.

What I need from you

Every single pound you donate brings us closer to a brand new skatepark. Sport England can match donations made through this page — meaning your money could go even further.

Please donate. Please share. Please help me make this happen for Sowerby Bridge.

Thank you.

Charlie Ryan, age 10

#SaveCrowWoodSkatepark

Funding method

Keep what you raise – this project will receive all pledges made by 20th September 2026 at 9:38pm