“So come skate with me. Just a rebel. Looking for a place to be. So let’s kick, and push, and coast” Lyrics – Lupe Fiasco (2006), Lupe Fiasco’s Food & Liquor, “Kick, Push”. 1st and 15th Entertainment.

The images in this book, taken over several months, attempt to capture the essence of skateboarding culture in Kirkintilloch. Kirkintilloch Skate Park was built in 2009 after years of community pressure upon the local council. The design was created through a ‘wish list’ of what local skaters wanted. Referred to by its users as ‘The Local’, it remains today, a place with a  strong sense of community, where bonds are created and skaters feel welcome and accepted.

Skateboarding is often misinterpreted as a purely recreational activity or sport, whereas it actually represents a distinct culture with its own values, norms, and sense of community. Within the culture skating can be seen as an act of rebellion and a search for belonging. People who skate often form a tight-knit group with a shared identity. This is regardless of geographical location and other common divides such as ethnicity, gender, age and class. This sense of belonging also transcends borders leading to a ‘global community’ of skate boarders.