A pair of 12-year-old schoolgirls with big dreams have launched a skateboarding charity that they are hoping to take global.
What started out as a plea for skateboard donations has now become an ongoing charity, being run by the pair.
During lockdown, Randwick skatepark in south Auckland was where Sk8 it 4ward all began for Sienna and Bella.
Both now super keen skateboarders, they reckon they spend more time skating than walking.
"You feel so free and like you have no problems and like you feel part of something as well," Sienna said.
But they quickly realised not everyone that was keen to skate had a board.
So they put the call-out and have been inundated with more 200 donations towards skateboards, scooters, helmets and protective pads.
"It's nice to see the joy on their faces when they get stuff," Bella said.
"The parents are really grateful as well because some of them can't afford the stuff, but their kids want to do it," Sienna said.
Photo: Supplied
Their bid to share the skateboarding love has led to a growing skating community and lasting friendships.
"There's heaps more now and they're not always swapping because they used to share their stuff with their cousins but now they've got their own.
"It's good to see the kids' faces when we give away this stuff to see how happy they are and then we can see them more at the skate park too, and we've kind of created like a friend group as well with them," Bella said.
They alternate between Randwick and Waiuku skate park and try and visit others around Auckland when they can.
They are also now offering tips and training to those that want it.
"We'll kind of teach them the motion first, and then we'll help them by holding their hands and there will be two hands, then one and then to no hands."
Photo: Supplied
They run the charity with the help of their friends and family and their mums Louise and Chantelle, who don their helmets and join in too.
"We are now skateboard mums," Chantelle laughs.
"It's all because of these two girls and their siblings, we're almost sort of thankful to them because it's given us this passion, we're so passionate about helping now and getting this charity to a point where we can help everybody.
"To see those kids faces and for them to look forward to us coming each week has been like ... we've got our own kids but then we have this community of kids that come running over," Louise said.
Bella and Sienna are two schoolgirls who have launched a skateboarding charity. Photo: Supplied
During the weekend Sienna and Bella are often fundraising, holding events or planning their next business moves.
That is on top of school and other sports too.
"It's alright because we can multi-task," Sienna said.
They have already got the t-shirts and hope to open a youth centre with supervisors to make sure the park is more of a safe place in the evenings - but have some even bigger plans for the future.
"We want it to go really big and worldwide but it's gonna take a while."
Find out more at the Sk8 it 4wd website.
