London Skate Mums have come a long way from a simple group chat during lockdown days.
What started as a small WhatsApp group chat in 2020 has slowly turned into a regular part of London’s skate scene.
Five years later, many of the same mums who first met online are now skating together in person every week, building skills, friendships, and a stronger sense of belonging in a space that once felt out of reach.
Some members of the group are now getting ready for a special moment at Southbank Centre, where they will appear in the Skate 50 exhibition running from 30 April to 21 June, with the final day falling on Go Skateboarding Day.
The show looks back at 50 years of skating under Queen Elizabeth Hall, a spot that has long been part of London skate history.
The fact that London Skate Mums are included says a lot about how much things have shifted over time.
The same location where they now meet for sessions is also where their presence will be recognised in a public exhibition.
The group itself formed during the pandemic, a time when many people in the UK started picking up skateboards.
Estimates suggest tens of thousands of new skaters got involved during that period, and London Skate Mums became one of the communities that grew out of that moment.
What made it different was the focus on mothers who wanted a space to learn without feeling out of place.
These days, their schedule is consistent and built around different levels of availability.
Monday nights are usually reserved for indoor skatepark meetups where beginners and improving skaters can spend time working on basics in a relaxed setting.
There are also daytime sessions held twice a month, mostly attended by mums who are at home or working more flexible hours.
These sessions give them a chance to skate when parks are quieter and there is more room to learn at their own pace.
Once a month, the group also runs Skate Club, which is organised by Templeton.
These sessions include coaching and are focused on helping members feel more comfortable in public skate areas.
The focus is on learning how to move around different spaces, understanding how skaters share areas, and building confidence through practice rather than pressure.
It is also a chance for people to try new tricks with guidance from someone experienced.
Now, with their inclusion in a major exhibition at Southbank, their presence is becoming part of a wider story about how skating in London continues to evolve through different groups of people who find their way into it in their own time.