Extreme Wheels at 25: A tire-less approach to youth engagement

Jonathan Tipton was a parks and open spaces officer for Bolsover District Council back in 2001 when a colleague requested funding for a mobile skate park.

It came following a huge surge in young people taking up BMX-riding and skateboarding and having nowhere in the area to go.

A £500 investment for new ramps proved to be a big hit before further funding from the government’s Single Regeneration Budget fund developed the project further.

It led to the birth of the Extreme Wheels Roadshows, who have now celebrated 25 years of success.

They have gone on to work with over 250,000 young people locally and nationally – not only providing somewhere to go and something to do, but also helping to reduce the social nuisance and perception of anti-social behaviour and offering an alternative form of physical activity.

“We have engaged with young people who otherwise would not have engaged in other forms of physical activity or traditional services, or may think ‘I can’t do this as a job’,” says Jonathan, who is now Bolsover District Council’s Outdoor Recreation Officer.

“These young people are often labelled as ‘hard to reach’, but they are not hard to reach – there was just nothing that interested them.

“It’s how we use what we offer to engage these young people and get them in. We’ve worked for numerous Police and Crime Commissioners and Community Safety Partnerships, along with many more agencies, because they are seeing the hook of what we do.

“We are so unique in what we offer – other councils have tried to copy it, but only ours has stood the test of time.”

Extreme Wheels has travelled to internationally-renowned events, including at the home of Formula 1 racing, air shows and at Ride London as part of the London Marathon.

Councils up and down the country have also invited the team to showcase their activities, with over 400 clients which include most of the local authorities in the East Midlands.

Today’s Extreme Wheels activities include BMX freestyle, skateboarding, BMX racing, drift trikes, Laser quest, Body Zorbing, KMX karts, mobile skatepark, pro rider demo shows, skatepark jams, inspirational and motivational talks and music jams, as well as bespoke programmes such as beer goggle-racing to demonstrate to young people the effects of alcohol.

In 2024, Bolsover, the birthplace of Extreme Wheels, installed its iconic skatepark, which has since been credited with the town seeing a 60 per cent drop in social nuisance and perceived anti-social behaviour.

“It’s about talking with them, as a young person, and what the young people want, therefore building relationships and becoming a trusted voice in which they don’t feel disenfranchised,” Jonathan adds.

The future of Extreme Wheels Roadshows is expected to include a return of the Extreme Wheels Academy, with further volunteering opportunities for young people, subject to securing funding. Added to this, Extreme Wheels continues to be available for local authorities, parish councils and a range of events for commissioning.

To find out more, check the Extreme Wheels Roadshow social media pages.