Could you help or know anyone that could?

We are looking to expand our fundraising capacity and are seeking volunteers who would like to take part in an all new fundraising committee.

The Wheels Project charity who manage the skatepark are looking for community minded volunteers with time on their hands maybe that have a marketing or sales background or who have worked with a voluntary organisation before, who would like to help make a difference in their local community by encouraging local business to support the work of the skatepark through payroll giving.

Payroll giving
The charity is registered with the Charities Aid Foundation for payroll giving. This means companies and their employees can give tax effective donations from their wages to Redditch Wheels project for example for every pound given the Inland revenue will donate 28p.

The Invitation Book
We are also exploring other fundraising ideas such as selling the Invitation Book which a portion of funds will go to the Skatepark for every book sold. The invitation book is sold throughout the midlands and offers vouchers for savings and offers on dining, leisure and entertainment at all well-known outlets you can easily get your money back on savings and offers once you have bought the book.

We currently receive funding from grant donations from trusts, which we continually have to apply for new funding, although we are often successful, applying for grant funding is very competitive and this always runs out. We also like to keep the gate entry to a minimum for young people but being an outdoor facility, gate revenue is sensitive to weather conditions. What we are looking to do is to attract a more stable funding utilising give as you earn payroll giving through local companies and other means.

Could you help?

Email info@redditchskatepark.co.uk.

Tel: (01527) 524550 and leave your name and telephone number

Redditch Relax Jam 2006If you could see me now trying to write this aticle about the 6th annual Redditch Relax Jam, ive got bits of paper everywhere with scrawled notes as too who did what and who placed where. You would realise that the jam was like a firework show! Ok so there was no Ali Whitton with blue tires this year but that didnt matter, the level of riding was the highest the Relax jam has ever seen. 2006 was the year the locals took centre stage and shut the park down. Seriously the riders in and around the Midlands dont mess about when it comes to putting on a show.Park owner, founder and bmx legend Steve Rooke asked me if i could give him a hand organising the events on the day and i was only to happy to help. The gates opened at 12 and there was a few eager riders waiting outside. The hours passed and by 2 o'clock not many more had showed so we chose to get the party started without them.The first event of the day was Rookie spine/mini ramp which didnt dissapoint. Personal highlights included; Jay Shears tech to death and Rich Brake getting agro and chucking his bike after a snaping his chain dropping in! Then it was the pros turn, local riders Ben Sutor and Ross Wearing were on fire. Ben Sutor is one hell of a shredder, he was throwing down back to back whip airs, clicked 360 x-ups over the spine as well as all manner of crazy tech moves to bring home a well deserved win. Second place Ross transfered from the spine into the vert and before i had finished shouting about it on the mic he had gapped back into the mini, Loco! In 3rd was Jason Davies who was doing those crazy nosedive spine 360's, real good to watch as he kinda left you on the edge of your seat.Next up was Rookie street and if you havent heard of the winner Dean Cueson, you will soon. This kid is like 12 years old and is a mini Nyquist! Other stand outs were local Oli Dale who opposite whipped the hip, Dan Orton who was booming all over the course and props to Jay Sheers on pulling his first whip drop in.Then is was hammer time! Pro Street was absolutely nuts! Is could write a whole page on just what went down. Ben Sutor took the win to make it two out of two. In a close 2nd was another local ripper, Stratford's Adam Galt. He won Rookie two years ago and now totally holds his own in pro, wallride to whip clean first go. 3rd went to Banbury's finest Craig McGill who cross leg whipped the box.To even the score Adam Galt collected another podium finish with a win in highest air with eight feet out of a seven foot quater to make it Adam Galt 2 - Ben Sutor 2. However in extra time we ran highest hop and Ben Sutor took that win from his brother Tom to make the local derby finish Ben 3 - Adam 2.The day was finished off with a Snickers Tricks for Cash Jam and Steve was handing out money left right and centre. It was good to see some driveway action get paid as the street skills often go unoticed at comps. Old Skool hero Paul Jones took home the big prize money with a flair transfer.Thanks too all the sponsers, Steve Rooke, Superstar DJ Spreadsheet Master Matt Locke, Judge and Mouth of the South Nik Ford and all the riders who without there would be no Relax Jam.Same again next year?