Introducing: SkatePal
Non-Profit SkatePal arrives at Flatspot to feature a collection of illustrated apparel and their colourful Sahten cookbook. Providing educational and sporting opportunities to the skateboarding community of Palestine, the project’s latest collection arrives at Flatspot featuring a selection of apparel and accessories designed in collaboration with a number of artists, volunteers and local heroes including Michael Slayton and Philip Joa.
Shop all SkatePal at Flatspot.
Building skateparks, running skate classes and providing hardware to communities in Palestine since 2013, SkatePal is a London based organisation led by skater Charlie Davis. Inspired by his time spent volunteering as an English teacher and by the attraction his skateboard drew when he took his board to the streets after class, SkatePal was born from a desire to promote the social, health and wellbeing benefits that skateboarding can bring to local communities.
‘Skateboarding has the potential to dissolve barriers between class, race, age and gender. It isn’t hierarchical - it doesn’t matter if you’re a beginner or a professional, a child or an adult.’ (SkatePal)
Creating skateparks including the West Bank’s Rosa Park and the Jayyous skatepark built in collaboration with local non-profit SkateQilya, the project continues to grow with their latest DIY park sponsored by the Bank of Palestine and located at Ramallah’s Inash Al Usra Association. Since 2018 and with the help of both local and international volunteers they’ve hosted regular classes at the Sareyyet Club located in central Ramallah, whilst UK based work includes their regular bi-weekly skate classes run in collaboration with the Akwaaba social centre for migrants located in Stoke Newington, Hackney.
Donating 100% of proceeds to support the fast-growing skate community in Palestine, SkatePal’s latest collection draws inspiration from the project’s Palestinian ties with the Palms Hat and Palms T-Shirt featuring translative Arabic palm graphics designed by Phil Joa. Detailed with the organisation's signature logo, the illustrative Sun T-Shirt and Sun Cap features custom graphics designed by Michael Slayton. Painting a creative picture of the state’s current skate scene, the colourful Sahten SkatePal cookbook is edited by Tom Bird and features a number of inspiring recipes, interviews and photographs taken from across the region. An illustrative hardback featuring artwork from Palestinian-Canadian animator Noor Abouseido and designed as a tribute to many shop owners, local heroes, past volunteers and even to Palestine’s own international master chef Sami Tamimi.
