A skateboard jam is being held at Newquay’s skate park to raise money and awareness for a mental health charity.

Skaters Jake Sparham and Beth Rickard are staging the event at Concrete Waves in aid of the Ben Raemers Foundation on Saturday, June 21 from 9am to 4pm.

The jam will take place on the new street course, which will include a girl’s jam and best trick, an under 16 boy’s jam and best trick and an over 16 boy’s jam.

Various art initiatives will be run throughout the day including a collaborative written wall to encourage people to write their skating sentiment and engage with others in the skating community.

Cailin Wheatley and Phoebe McCauley are staging a collaborative art project where people can draw on a wall of old skateboard decks. There will also Shimer and Shine face painting, music from Mutant Menace, brand giveaways and stalls. Food and drink will be available including a barbecue.

A community litter pick will be held at Concrete Waves between 2.30pm and 3pm.

The Ben Raemers Foundation was set up following the death of professional skateboarder Ben Raemers by suicide in May 2019, at the age of 28. The charity aims to raise awareness about mental health and suicide prevention within skateboarding.

The skate jam is being held on Go Skateboarding Day, which is a day for the global skate community to all ride together and elevate the energy of skateboarding around the world.

Mr Sparham said: “The Newquay community and skateboarding community will be coming together to raise money and awareness for mental health.

“The aim is to create an inspiring and safe environment, with sending a positive message to the younger generation.

“As young kids, looking cool is everything. That’s why it means so much when the older skaters they look up to lead by example. When the people they admire open up about how they feel, it sends a powerful message.

“That real strength is being able to talk. That it’s cool to care. This kind of positive influence is how we start to shift the stigma around mental health. and possibly how we even start preventing suicides.

“We’re overwhelmed with gratitude for the support from the community. Every person, every brand, every bit of love. From the bottom of our hearts, thank you. None of this would be possible without everyone’s support.”

A spokesperson for the Ben Raemers Foundation added: ““The money we raise goes on raising awareness about mental health and suicide prevention within skateboarding.

“We do this through skateboarding events, creating social media content, working with skate media, producing films, holding training on suicide prevention and enabling access to counselling.

“Sometimes when people do fundraisers or provide us with grants, we spend the money on specific activities.

“For example, last year there was a fundraiser at a skate jam, and they used the money to print a zine following our writing towards wellbeing course.”

Cailin said: “On the day we plan to bring a wall made of old skate decks drilled together and painted white to create a base for people to write any skate sentiments on it.

“There will also be a canvas wall displaying skaters art such as photos and paintings for people to view on the day as inspiration.

“It will be under the movement of Juicy Roots, which is something my best friend Phoebe McCauley and I have created. We stage events to empower young women through art and reconnect with our inner child.

“Juicy Roots will be there to inspire people to express themselves through art and self expression. I took up skateboarding whilst Phoebe started roller skating in the last four years and I believe it has taught us a lot about resilience, making mistakes and endurance. It’s truly magical.”

Anyone who would like to make a donation can visit https://gofund.me/69229649