Hi. My name is Charlie Ryan and I am 10 years old. I live in Sowerby Bridge and I love skateboarding, scooting and riding but I can't do it at my local park - Crow Wood Park.

The problem is:  the skatepark is not fit for purpose and it is unsafe. The surface is cracked and broken which your wheels get caught in, there is only one giant ramp that is very old and has a lip at the bottom which acts as a break and makes you fall. The are also no progression opportunities for beginners.

What I have already done

I wrote formal letters to my local ward councillors and to our MP, Kate Dearden. I have received multiple responses from local councillors and have received two letters from the House of Commons. Calderdale Council's own Parks team has officially admitted, in that the skatepark is in poor condition, however they do not have the funds to improve it.

So now I am wanting to raise the money other ways.

Why this matters

Crow Wood Skatepark is one of the only free outdoor spaces in Sowerby Bridge where kids can skateboard, scoot, and ride bikes. It belongs to all of us. But right now it is:

•     Cracked and broken — a real injury risk for every child who uses it

•     Neglected — it has not had meaningful investment in years

•     Losing young people — kids are giving up on it because it is so bad

A renovated skatepark would mean:

•     A safe, modern facility for skateboarders, scooter riders and cyclists of all ages

•     A free space for every family regardless of income

•     Better physical health and mental wellbeing for young people

•     A positive, safe social space that keeps young people active and off screens

•     Support for skateboarding — now an Olympic sport — at grassroots level right here in Calderdale

Our plan

We are not asking the council to magic up money from nowhere as we know this can't happen. We have a real plan:

•     Collect petition signatures to prove community demand — that's where YOU come in

•     Apply for the Sowerby Bridge Ward Forum Grant for seed funding

•     Host a fundraising event at the park

•     Launch a Crowdfunder campaign

•     Apply for Sport England match funding — which can double every pound raised

•     Apply to the National Lottery Community Fund and the Community Foundation for Calderdale

•     Hire a specialist contractor and BUILD IT

What I need from you

Every single signature on this petition tells Calderdale Council, our MP, and grant funders that this matters to real people in Sowerby Bridge. The more signatures we collect, the more chance we have of successful funding bids and donations.

Please sign. Please share. Please help me make this happen.

It would mean the world to me — and to every young person in Sowerby Bridge who just wants somewhere safe and brilliant to ride.

Thank you.

Charlie Ryan, age 10