Date: Usually first Wednesday in the month, though sometimes gets moved along a week. In 2017: 7 June, 28 June, 26 July, 6 Sept, 4 Oct, 1 Nov, 6 Dec.
Time: 1.30pm to 3pm.
Venue: Harvey Hadden Sports Centre, Wigman Road, Nottingham, NG8 4PB.
Area: Bilborough, about 3 miles west of Nottingham City Centre on the number 28 bus route.
Age range: From around age 2 or 3 – it actually depends on shoe size, not age as such – up to adult. Parents are welcome to skate. “Crew to help the wobbly ones”.
Shoe size: The all-in-one skates go from child shoe size 8. The “toddler skates”, which go over shoes, are suitable for around child shoe size 6 to 8.
Price: £5 including skate hire and safety gear (helmets, knee & elbow pads etc).
Organisers: The event is run by Skate Base Mobile Roller Disco. You’ll want to read the Skate Base Rules, as everyone has to agree to these.
Note: The rules mention the possibility of taking photos for social media. Skate Base confirm that anyone can opt out of these, or the group as a whole could ask for no pictures to be taken, or none during the skating. They say that so far, the photos they take at home ed sessions have only ever been put on the Home Ed Skate Base Facebook group (not visible to the general public).
Booking: Although you can just turn up and pay, it’s helpful if you do say in advance that you’re going. A home ed mum is keeping track of the numbers for the home edders’ session, to make sure that minimum numbers are reached each month for the event to continue. Email libbytheaxe at yahoo dot co dot uk, or make a comment on the Home Ed Skate Base Facebook group.
It’ll save time on the day if you download, print and fill in the Skate Base registration form (PDF) beforehand. This confirms you agree to the rules, and asks about any medical conditions. Skate Base explain “This information goes in to a storage box and would only be used in the case of an insurance claim etc.”
What to expect, from a home ed parent who’s a “regular” at the session:
Music, lights, a full roller disco with games for the children and staff skating with the kids supervising and organising them if needed as well as helping those who need it.
When you get into the hall, depending if you arrive when the session has already started or before, there are chairs to sit plus the equipment tables/registration desk with lovely staff to help.
It’s £5 for the 1½ hour session and the leisure centre has a lovely café next to the sports hall with good coffee and comfy chairs if you want to give your kids a bit more independence or just recharge 🙂
It is run by a fully-insured professional roller-disco company who provide staff to supervise, music to skate to, all equipment from skates to helmets/knee pads/elbow pads/wrist guards. The kids usually have a lot of fun with staff playing games and support even for complete beginners. Parents can skate too and nobody judges if you can’t stay upright 🙂 Staff are experienced with children of all ages, abilities and any special needs.
There are skates for 3-4 year olds as well as older children. A varied range of children currently attend from ages 3 to 14 but the group does go up to 18yrs. Skills from novice to experienced roller or inline skaters.
My son has been going for a while now and loves it, he has gained so much confidence and new friends … It really is a fab resource.
Access: Detailed access info for Harvey Hadden. Short version: it has good wheelchair access inside including toilets, and 16 accessible parking bays right outside reception.
If you have requests for how the Skate Base staff could support a child with special needs, it probably makes sense to email them direct: contact@skatebase.co.uk. Or call: 07414 067667.
Map showing Harvey Hadden:
Bigger version of map showing Harvey Hadden
Nearest bus stop: “Graylands Road“, on the 28 route, Pink Line. The 35 route, Orange Line, also goes pretty near, at “Bracebridge Drive End”.
Parking: There’s a large car park at Harvey Hadden.