More than £7,000 has been raised towards the proposed new Freshwater Skatepark following a hugely successful Skate Deck Art Auction organised by Freshwater Parish Council.
The closing night event, held at the Royal Solent Yacht Club on Saturday evening, attracted a packed audience of supporters, artists, volunteers, councillors and community members who have backed the project since it first began in 2019.
The online auction featured a unique collection of skateboard decks painted by Isle of Wight artists, with proceeds going directly towards the development of the new skatepark facility in Freshwater.
Freshwater Parish Council has thanked everyone who contributed to the fundraising effort, including the artists who donated their work, those who placed bids and attended the event, and the volunteers who helped organise the evening.
Special thanks were also given to sponsors Wightlink and Rapanui for supporting the project.
One of the highlights of the evening came before the auction closed, when writer and poet Harrison Wavell shared an original story inspired by the Freshwater ‘Dragon’ logo entitled Alfred’s Dragon.
The story followed a young boy named Alfred who dreams of discovering hidden gold and uses his fortune to build a skatepark for the whole community to enjoy.
The Freshwater skatepark dragon logo was designed by former Islander and skater Ged Wells of Insane Emporium.
Inspired by the historic Freshwater Parish seal, originally created in 1895 by artist Alfred Sacheverell Coke, the design reimagines the legendary Dragon of King Arthur for a modern skatepark project.
The dragon’s tail represents the bowl section of the skatepark, while its wings and body reflect ramps, transitions and plaza movement.
Speaking at the event, Chair of the Skatepark Working Party, Councillor Caroline Pakel, said:
“It has been a daunting task to raise the money for the skatepark, but we will be signing contracts in the weeks and months to come.
“We need more funds for the landscaping and drainage but it’s all in the process of happening.”
The highest bid of the auction went to Nautical Compass, a triptych of 3 decks by Zoe Sadler, which sold for £700.
Other featured works included Cloudy Bay, Heading for No 9 by Anna Keen, PictoGraffik // Typographic Abstraction by Steve Miles, Oh Hela by Paul Windridge and The Madness of King George (A Tribute To The Brighton Pavilion) by Jenni Harrison.
The auction itself raised £6,879, with additional donations before and during the closing event pushing the total raised to more than £7,000.
Freshwater Parish Council Clerk Kirsty Kibson said:
“This project has been driven by an incredible amount of community spirit, generosity and determination over many years.
“The Skate Deck Art Auction has shown just how much support there is for creating a modern, inclusive skatepark for Freshwater.
“We are extremely grateful to every artist, bidder, volunteer and sponsor who helped make the event such a success and move the project another step closer to becoming a reality.”
Freshwater Parish Council says the success of the auction marks another important milestone towards delivering the new recreational facility for local young people and families.
