Create a New Skatepark in Gloucestershire

Total raised £40,453

raised so far

276

supporters

Our wonderful RUSH skate park is now closed. We want to be sure we can protect the Rush legacy and build again. WE NEED TO BE READY!

We're still collecting donations

On the 11th March 2022 we'd raised £13,785 with 272 supporters in 213 days. But as every pound matters, we're continuing to collect donations from supporters.

 New stretch target

We need to make it as easy as possible to get through planning permission seamlessly. In the end this will be a multi million pound project if we are to get the facility we dream of, but this will only happen if we get through planning permission - we can then start applying for significant grants and funding.


What's the story?

As many of you will know we have been working tirelessly behind the scenes to keep the Rush Skatepark open. However despite our best efforts the facility has now closed. It's a tragedy for our local community and riders of the south west.

But we're not giving up. Our plan is to create a new facility to fill the void. To do that we need to raise a sizeable sum for planning permission to get started but in the first off, initially we want to try to raise £25,000 through this Crowdfunder.

Charlotte Worthington, who won Team GB's first-ever BMX Freestyle gold, and Declan Brooks who won bronze in the men's BMX freestyle used the facility to train for Tokyo 2020 during the pandemic. They will inspire a new generation of riders.

But they had no idea that they would be competing in the Olympics this time four years ago. The same could be said for riders currently using Rush as a training facility and its loss will remove any hope of another Olympian coming from Gloucestershire. 

So here we are. Trying to fix it. By working together we can make our dream of a new facility a reality.

Four ways you can play your part today

Everyone can help us with our Crowdfunder.

1. Pledge money. Support us in return for a variety of rewards. You will see them on this page and they're our way of saying thank you for your support.

2. Spread the word. We need to reach as many people as possible and tell them about this fantastic community project so share the page on your social media pages.

3. Fundraise for us. You can create a simple fundraiser from this page in a matter of minutes. You don't need any bank details – just a good idea to raise some cash on our behalf.

4. Help with rewards? If you are a local business, or know someone with one, get in touch and play a part in what we're doing with rewards. This is a community effort.

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What we need to do

The loss of the skate park is going to hit the community hard, especially in the winter months. The parents, riders and supporters of Rush (also known as the ‘Friends of Rush Skatepark’) want to ensure we have a state of the art indoor Olympic standard facility in Gloucestershire to serve the county, the south west and nationally. We want to be the park that 'must be visited' attracting attention across the globe.

This is down to us now. We have the support of Jerry and Michelle Norman (the owners of Rush) and their brilliant team. We know we can count of them to help make this a reality but it isn't their job to raise the money. We are happy to step up and take on the challenge and we ask you to join us on this journey!

We need to find a suitable site and then get planning permission. Stroud District Council have offered land at Stratford Park in Stroud but we need to fund a planning application and this is likely to cost way in excess of £200,000. We're going to try and raise the first £95,000 through Crowdfunder by offering rewards and bringing the community together through the platform.

It's so important to keep the legacy alive. With your support, we can make happen.

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Creating a legacy with a new charity

The intention is to set up a charity to build and manage the new site and that will happen over the coming few weeks. 

Once the charity has a site with planning permission it is expected there are many large bodies who will be willing to fund the project. 

We need to be realistic this will cost millions and take time. The first step is this starter fund through Crowdfunder.

Tokyo 2020 – inspiring the next generation

BMX freestyle and Skateboarding are in the frame because of the Tokyo Olympics - the entry level sport of Scooter Riding has never been so popular. 

This time four years ago the now current Team GB BMX team had no idea that they would be competing in the 2020 Olympic games. This is an opportunity that will be stripped from the youth of the UK if the training facilities are not provided.

We're in the news

We've had plenty of press coverage in recent days.

Our founder Jerry Norman told The Observer that there were only a handful of skateparks in the country with the same variety and quality of facilities as Rush.

“There are only a few skateparks with decent-sized ramps which are approaching Olympic standard,” he said. “There’s nothing else quite like Rush nearby and, so, when we close, our most talented youngsters will face huge problems training

The Observer:
Dreams set to crash as young Olympians’ skatepark closes

BBC News:
Stroud skatepark where Olympic athletes trained set to close

Stroud News & Journal:
Olympic gold for BMX rider is 'too late' to help Rush Skatepark

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Become a fundraiser

Want to raise funds for this cause? It's simple to get started.

Start fundraising

Rewards

This project offered rewards

£10 or more

Special Edition Sticker Sheet

A special sheet designed by one of our riders and his team (He is the big boss at a creative design agency and has given us the design for free!) Thank you!

£20 or more

Limited Edition Sticker Pack

Thank you for donating. As a thankyou we would like to offer you a Limited Edition Sticker Pack!!

£50 or more

Free Session Pass

Thank you so much. As a token of our gratitude we would like to offer you a free session for 1x rider when the new facility is built.

£100 or more

Limited Edition T-shirt + Sticker Pack

Thank you for donating. As a thankyou we would like to offer you a Limited Edition T-shirt + Sticker Pack!!

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