Poppie, Rudi & Mac
Scotland | Ambassadors since 2018 | @poppie_rocket_skategirl_ & @rudi_and_mac
Poppie became an ambassador, and we fell in love instantly with her positivity and humorous personality. She asked her Mum if she could raise money for the children in Uganda after seeing the photos and videos on the SFH Instagram account. She noticed many of the skaters wore tattered clothing and no shoes, and she cried about it. At only 6 years, she held deep compassion for children living in poverty and was determined to take action. She came up with a unique fundraiser; to cross the longest bridge in Edinburg by skateboard. Guess what? It never was attempted. Not only did she recruit her family, but she also recruited her new friends Rudi and Mac, two sisters who lived in the adjacent town. The threesome became inseparable. They achieved their fundraising goal of over $800.00 and helped transport 25 skateboards, shoes and helmets to Uganda.
I just love skateboarding. It gave me something to do when we had a lockdown. I could skate in the garden on my ramp even when the skateparks were locked down. I got to meet up with my friends when the skateparks opened again. I even got a carpet board, so I can still practice in the house too."
Skateboarding is the best because it is exciting. Sometimes it’s scary and it makes you smile when you do something new. SFH gives back to the community and we give our old boards to other boys and girls so they can be happy and skateboard too.
I love skateboarding because it gives me a challenge and I get to hang out with my friends and have fun. SFH means more people can skate and it doesn’t matter where you're from or how much money you have. It builds equality in the community.
You think that they would stop here? The following year after countless skate sessions in skateparks around the county, the trio became attached to Livi Skatepark, the first skatepark ever built in Scotland with a reputable history. Even Tony Hawk skated it back in the day. They went on a crusade to bring LIVI back to life. A film documentarist who happened to be at the park at Poppie’s birthday spotted the girls and asked permission to mic them up and follow them for b-roll. The filmmaker realized that her story no longer was about the park itself. Still, that of the 3 girls, all under 7 years old, who were breaking stereotypes and this film gained so much garnering attention that it was featured on BBC Scotland, several film festivals and local television. The sheer innocence and passion for skateboarding, as well as the vision of inclusivity and sustainability, created a concrete wave of support.
Their next project? Rudi and Mac and Poppie will travel in caravans this summer to test out skateparks and build awareness as ambassadors of hope. They say, “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” African proverb.
Skateboards For Hope
Ambassadors
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