My initiative is designed for and delivered in London
Yes
I am 18 years of age or above, by the application deadline.
Yes
My organisation is a registered UK entity and has a London-based address.
Yes
My organisation is a non-profit (e.g. school, university, or local authority) — not a for-profit, which can only join as a partner.
Yes
If there is a for-profit organisation as a partner in my initiative, they work on a cost-recovery basis only.
Yes
My solution is implemented at scale, or if not, I have a clear business plan, a minimum viable solution (prototype, pilot, or proof of concept), evidence of access to a lease for the space you are leveraging, and evidence of work or impact in London within your coalition.
Yes
I am aware that, if I am submitting more than one application to a Challenge run by Ashoka and Go! London, only one of them is able to progress through the stages.
Yes
Are you an employee (and their children and grandchildren) of Ashoka or any of its respective affiliates and participating advertising and promotion agencies?
No
I have read and accepted the Challenge Terms & Conditions.
Yes
First Name
Tristan
Last Name
Tutak
Pronouns
He/Him
Email address
I would like to receive notifications and updates about Go London!, Ashoka, Ashoka Changemakers, and other Ashoka opportunities.
1
Are you an Ashoka Fellow?
No
Are you applying from an organization founded by an Ashoka Fellow?
No
If you are applying from an organization founded by an Ashoka Fellow, please specify the name and organisation of the fellow below.
Lead Organisation Name
Millfields Users’ Group (MUG)
Year that you started/ registered your organisation
2008
Initiative Title
Millfields Community Skate Space
My initiative is designed for and delivered in London
1
Website URL(s) or Social Media Handles
millfieldsusers.org.uk Instagram.com/millfields.skate/
Initiative Stage
Pilot-Stage (The first activities have happened, and you have proof of concept)
Sectors/Themes: What topic does your project most directly relate to?
Civic Engagement
Initiative Summary: Describe your initiative in one sentence
A community-led project to reimagine an underused corner of South Millfields Park into an inclusive, high-quality skate and wheeled play space, shaped by local people to sit comfortably within the park, designed with climate resilience in mind, and bring the neighbourhood together.
The Problem: What problem are you helping to solve and who will benefit the most from your solution? How close are you to the problem and/or community impacted?
Millfields Park currently lacks informal, accessible activities for older children and young people who are too old for playgrounds and not drawn to organised team sports. There is no dedicated local space for skateboarding, roller skating or wheeled activities. Our community survey and conversations with children, young people and parents showed this is missing in the park, with many saying they would use a simple wheeled play space close to home. A previously proposed roller-skating space did not progress, leaving a clear gap in provision. This gap matters in a neighbourhood where many families rely on local parks as their main free outdoor space. Hackney has a high proportion of children and young people, many facing barriers to regular physical activity. Without suitable places to be active and social close to home, young people are more likely to drift away from parks or travel further afield, which can be a barrier for lower-income families and those with caring responsibilities. I’m closely connected to this issue as both a local parent and a skateboarder, and as part of MUG. There’s nowhere nearby that works for casual use and beginners. The nearest skate space serves a different purpose and doesn’t offer the open, flat, mixed-use space many local people are asking for, so this would complement rather than duplicate existing provision. People want something simple, inclusive and welcoming that works for different ages and abilities, helps inactive young people move more, and offers a free, doorstep place to be active and social. As the climate changes, comfort in heat and access to shade also matter for young people using outdoor spaces. Wheeled sports support physical and mental wellbeing and help connect people across social, cultural and economic divides.
Your approach: How are you/ will you addressing the problem outlined above? How does your solution unlock or reimagine access to spaces for sport and physical activity? What role do landowners, local authorities, or other decision-making stakeholders play in your approach? We'd love to know about the origin of your idea, and what was your "aha" moment" that led you to take action?
Our approach is to unlock an underused public space by reimagining it, with the community and the council, as an inclusive place for wheeled sport and informal physical activity. The space sits next to two basketball courts. Over time the surface has deteriorated, and the area has become underused, despite being visible. The council’s planned resurfacing of the courts creates a timely opportunity to rework the adjacent space for wider use. When a previously proposed roller-skating space did not progress due to budget constraints and limited engagement, we led a grassroots consultation, reaching over 400 people through surveys, park chats, schools and local groups. This revealed strong demand for a simple, inclusive wheeled space. Sharing these findings with Hackney’s Parks team secured their support, and we partnered with skatepark designers to develop a quality proposal, securing initial funding for Phase 1. Through Go! London, we seek support to upgrade Phase 1 with long-lasting, low-maintenance, accessible materials and ensure the design considers climate resilience, e.g. potentially shade in hot weather and simple measures to manage surface water at the edges of the space. This improves quality and lasting value without expanding the footprint. Hackney Council supports permissions and alignment with park works, while stewardship and activation will be led by MUG. My “aha” moment came while spending time in the park as a new parent. Discovering plans to improve the courts and a potential roller-skating space sparked the idea of unlocking the area for inclusive wheeled use and led me to join MUG. While waiting for consultation to begin, the roller-skating element was dropped, prompting us to rally support and work with the council to bring the space back into use.
Collaboration with young people and the community: In what ways does your initiative engage young people and community members closest to the problem? What role do they play in building the solution you deliver?
This initiative is rooted in community co-creation. When a previously proposed roller-skating space was dropped from council plans, we led a grassroots consultation to understand what children, young people and local residents wanted from this space. Through surveys, park chats, social media, posters and school outreach, we gathered input from hundreds of local people, including children, young people, parents and park users. This feedback shaped the core design principles: simple, inclusive, beginner-friendly, multi-use and well-integrated into the park. Young people and families have been central to shaping the vision. Many responses came from parents of children aged 3–12 and teenagers who felt there were limited options for informal, self-directed physical activity in the park once children outgrow playgrounds. Their input helped prioritise smooth ground, low-impact features, seating and a layout that works for mixed ages and abilities. Community involvement continues as the project develops. Through MUG, residents help review designs, shape priorities and act as stewards of the space. Ahead of Phase 1 construction, we will work with local schools and the Hackney Climate Team to run workshops with children and young people, exploring how the space should feel. Where feasible, ideas around nature and sustainability (such as planting integrated into edges, shade from trees, bug hotels and reclaimed materials) will be explored. Insights from this work will help inform future design choices and how the space is activated over time. Community members will also support launch activities and informal stewardship, and we are exploring an equipment-sharing scheme so reused boards and gear can be shared with those who can’t afford it, widening access to wheeled sports.
Potential for/Evidence of Impact: How do you imagine your initiative will make a difference in unlocking spaces for and access to physical activity and sport so far? If you have already implemented it, what difference have you made so far? What is the impact your initiative has had , and or what impact do you envision having in the future?
This initiative unlocks access to physical activity by transforming an underused part of South Millfields Park into a free, high-quality space for wheeled sport and informal movement that is missing locally. Even before construction, the project has created impact. Over 400 local residents have engaged through surveys, conversations and outreach, many saying they or their children would use the space regularly. This has helped people feel heard and brought together parents, young people, skaters and park users who had not previously connected. Local schools have engaged with the idea, and one has started an after-school skateboard club in anticipation of a nearby space. Once delivered, we expect daily use by children, teenagers and adults for skateboarding, scootering and roller skating, and by families and spectators using seating and the surrounding park. Based on similar skate spaces in London, we anticipate hundreds of regular users, adding up to thousands of visits a year, with many more benefiting indirectly through increased park use and social interaction. The long-term impact is to normalise access to informal physical activity in public space, particularly for older children and teenagers who are often underserved, and to help inactive young people build confidence and habits of movement close to home. By prioritising inclusive design and durable materials, the project creates a low-maintenance asset that supports daily use for many years. Beyond physical activity, the project builds social connection and local stewardship. MUG will support activation, care and light-touch programming (e.g. skate lessons and events), embedding the space into everyday community life, with the Climate Team linking the project to sustainability and biodiversity engagement.
Innovation: What is different about your initiative compared to other solutions that are already out there? How is your approach original and innovative?
This initiative reimagines what a skate space can be within a public park. Rather than creating a bold skatepark, we are designing a low-key, inclusive civic space that supports wheeled activity, sits comfortably within the park and considers climate resilience. It is multi-use: for skateboarding, scootering and roller skating, as well as sitting, socialising and spectating. This shifts the norm away from single-use sports infrastructure towards shared space for play. The design responds to a local gap by offering a different type of wheeled space to nearby facilities. While the closest skatepark focuses on large ramps, this project prioritises smooth ground and low-impact, street-style elements that support beginners and progression, while still enjoyable for experienced users. This complementary approach broadens access rather than duplicating what already exists. Innovation also lies in how the space is embedded within its park context. Green features are being woven into the design, with planting integrated into edges and boundaries to help the space feel part of the park, while supporting comfort in heat and simple surface water management. This aligns with community-led efforts to improve biodiversity in Millfields Park and challenges the assumption that skate spaces conflict with nature. The project builds on what works in London skate spaces and brings these values into a small park setting shaped locally. Using premium, long-life materials raises quality and longevity of the public realm and helps shift expectations of what informal sport spaces deserve. Finally, the process itself is innovative: a resident-led campaign unlocked a council-owned space, creating a community–council partnership that puts local people at the heart of decision-making and upkeep.
Viability and Scalability: How are you setting your initiative up for success, and what is your plan to ensure operational sustainability of your solution and its impact? What are your ideas for scaling your initiative to the next level?
This initiative is designed to be viable in both delivery and long-term use. It is rooted in partnerships that bring together community leadership, specialist expertise and public sector support. MUG provides local stewardship, governance and ongoing community engagement. Hackney Council, as landowner and delivery partner, supports permissions, alignment with wider park works and integration into park management. Our design and build partner brings specialist expertise and has supported early stages pro bono, ensuring a high-quality deliverable proposal. Operational sustainability is built in. Phase 1 focuses on creating a simple, durable space using long-life materials, reducing future maintenance demands. Stewardship, community-led activation and care will be led by MUG, working with the council and local schools to ensure the space is well used, respected and embedded in everyday community life. Free or low-cost activities (e.g. skate lessons and school use) will help sustain regular use and social value. We are actively building support to strengthen impact. Engagement with Hackney’s Climate Team is opening routes to embed biodiversity, sustainability education and, where feasible, reclaimed elements. This increases the project’s social and environmental value and helps bring in additional partners and community groups. In terms of scaling, we see this as a replicable model for unlocking underused public space through community–council partnership. The methods developed here – grassroots consultation, co-design, simple layouts, shared stewardship and integration of green features – can be applied to other overlooked corners of public space in Hackney and beyond. By sharing learning with partners and local authorities, we aim to support similar projects elsewhere.
Roles and Responsibilities: Describe how responsibilities are shared among your team or partners.
Millfields Users’ Group (MUG) leads the project overall, setting the vision, shaping the design brief and bringing together community voices and partners. MUG is responsible for overall coordination, community engagement and liaison with partners. This includes ongoing dialogue with local residents, schools (including Millfields Community School) and park users, sharing design ideas, gathering feedback, and making sure the project reflects community priorities. Within MUG, core project leads take responsibility for driving the project forward day-to-day, coordinating partners and funders, and ensuring delivery stays on track. Formal procurement and contractor management will follow Hackney Council processes, with MUG supporting on the brief, community priorities and design sign-off. MUG will also lead post-build activation of the space, including organising planting days, skate lessons, community clean-ups and small events that encourage shared use and stewardship of the space. A volunteer stewardship group, supported by MUG and partners, will help care for the space over time. MUG will handle grant administration and reporting, and ensure safeguarding and access are properly considered in how the space is used and programmed. Hackney Council Parks Department is the landowner and a key delivery partner. They provide permissions and land agreements, align the skate space with wider park works (including the resurfacing of the adjacent basketball courts), and support long-term integration of the space within the park. The Parks team also supports coordination with internal council services and ensures the project aligns with safety, access and maintenance requirements. Hackney Council Climate Team supports the project’s environmental and social value. They contribute expertise around sustainability, biodiversity and climate engagement. They will help connect the project with schools and local groups to explore how climate themes can be woven into both the design and activities around the space, strengthening links between the project, local climate goals and wider community engagement. Betongpark, local specialist skatepark designers and builders, are delivery partners providing technical design and construction expertise. They have supported early-stage design thinking and costings and will lead on detailed design development and construction delivery, in line with council procurement, once a preferred community-led design direction is agreed. This ensures the space is safe, durable, inclusive and well-built, translating community priorities into a high-quality physical outcome. Together, this partnership brings together community leadership, council support and specialist delivery expertise, helping ensure the project is well run, deliverable, and genuinely rooted in local need.
Upcoming Milestones: Please provide an overview of the milestones that are required for your initiative to come to fruition/to grow.
Over the next 12–18 months, we will move from concept refinement into delivery and activation of Phase 1 of the skate space, building on funding already secured through the Hackney Community Fund. Spring 2026 • Finalise Go! London application and, if shortlisted, take part in the capacity-building programme to refine design, partnerships and delivery approach • Confirm permissions, landowner support and documentation with Hackney Council • Undertake site surveys and technical checks to confirm substrate and construction requirements Spring–Summer 2026 • Work with Betong to develop and cost design options, including base and enhanced material versions • Carry out light-touch community engagement on the longer-term vision for the skate space, including sessions with local schools and youth groups supported by the Climate Team • Explore future opportunities to integrate green features, shade, planting and potential use of salvaged or reclaimed materials • Confirm final design and budget based on funding secured Summer 2026 • Finalise delivery plan and construction timetable in coordination with Hackney Parks’ resurfacing works • Confirm any remaining funding needed to deliver the enhanced scheme • Plan activation and programming (skate lessons, planting days, community launch event) Autumn 2026 • Construction of Phase 1 skate space • Soft launch and initial activation activities Post-completion (ongoing) • Community-led activation programme (free skate lessons, school use, planting days, clean-ups) • Establish stewardship and equipment-sharing model to support long-term access and care • Monitor use and impact, gather feedback, and plan Phase 2 enhancements where appropriate This phased approach ensures delivery is realistic, aligned with council timelines, and able to flex based on funding outcomes.
Capacity-Building Participation and Support Funding: If you were to make it as a finalist, you will be required to participate in an 8-week capacity building programme. If funding/ cost is a barrier to your participation, we may be able to offer up to 10,000 GBP of grant money available to support you. Please break down below, if it is the case, what costs you would incur and you would need covered. (Please note that there are restrictions on how the grant money may be used; please refer to the T&Cs for further details.
As a small, volunteer-led community group, participation in the 8-week capacity-building programme would place additional demands on the limited time of the two core project leads from MUG, who are currently balancing this work alongside freelance employment and caring for young children in their families. We are confident we can participate without support if needed, but access to a modest level of support funding would allow us to engage more fully and consistently in the programme, helping us make the most of the opportunity to strengthen the project. We would propose using support funding to cover a contribution towards the time of two core MUG leads involved in the programme, to enable preparation, participation in sessions, and follow-up work to refine the project design and delivery approach. This would help ensure the learning from the programme is properly embedded into the project and shared with the wider volunteer group. This support would make participation more sustainable for us as a community-led initiative, without placing undue strain on individuals, and would strengthen our ability to deliver the project well.
If you selected “Other”, please specify below.
Saw the opportunity listed in Hackney CVS’s weekly newsletter, which I found through applying to the Hackney Community Fund.
