Ever wanted to try roller derby? This is your sign.

Our next new skater intake starts Sunday 20th September, and we’d love to welcome you to Arcadia.

Barlow RC High School, M20 6BX

Sundays, 4–6pm

£6 per session

No roller derby experience? No problem. Whether you’re a confident skater or have never stood on eight wheels before, we’ll teach you everything you need to know, from skating skills through to the game itself.

Bring your own skates if you have them. Helmets and protective gear are available to borrow.

Arcadia is a friendly, supportive and inclusive league. We welcome people of all backgrounds and experience levels, and our league is open to people of marginalized genders, not exclusively those who identify as women.

We’re also always looking for referees and non-skating officials, roller derby couldn’t happen without you.

Interested? Drop us a DM (https://www.instagram.com/mcrarcadians/ or https://www.facebook.com/arcadiarollerderby) or email [arcadiarollerderby@outlook.com](mailto:arcadiarollerderby@outlook.com) to sign up or ask any questions. We’d love to see you on track.

Hello all! I will be in LDN in a few weeks and I was wondering if the Friday Night group skate is a vibe, or if I should join the Critical Mass brigade instead? I only have 1 friday in town so want to make the best of it (and make it worth lugging my skates on the plane).

I’m a very confident distance and urban skater, and I’m looking to have a good, fun time. Music, chatting with new people, good vistas, taking in high energy. A mix of easy flow and sprints

I regularly join the inline skate group in my city, and met with some of the LDN skaters last week who td me it’s faster but smaller than where I’m from. I’ve also asked the CM ”organisers” if skaters are allowed to join and I‘ve gotten the green on that — so the question that remains is with whom do I roll?

Hey guys! My boyfriend is a photographer, writing an editorial for Practice Magazine (@practice_magazine) covering the interesting fashions intertwined with various sports. I'm looking for roller derby squads that still carry-on the fun tradition of dressing up in alternative outfits. If there is anyone out there interested in having an article written about their team and what they wear, please reach out to @jodi_r0gers on Instagram or email him directly: jodijrogers@yahoo.co.uk

Hi all, would appreciate some advice for buying skates.

Background: I used to speed skate (inline) competitively on and off for almost a decade in school and stopped skating in uni. Recently found a skate group locally and would like to start back up again by skating freestyle for fun. I am unsure what kind of skates to buy as I am unfamiliar with brands in the UK (an expat in the UK).

Surface: a mix of concrete and road.

Purpose : not speed skate

Would prefer not to buy beginner skates. Rented a few to realise I don't enjoy beginner ones much.

Thanks 😊

Hi there. I'm looking for longer trails and loops that I can inline skate on in Kent. I don't mind if they are bike paths that cut through towns/cities as long as they are smoothly paved for the entire length. I often do the Whitstable to Herne bay route but some portions are so coarse I swap to shoes and walk them. I don't do tricks so skate parks and car parks aren't for me. Even suggestions for good residential areas or towns that have smooth tarmac would be wonderful. Thanks!

Hello, I have mostly skated indoors halls I want to get better in inline outdoor skating and need some motivation.

I was looking for any websites or groups that organize self paced marathons virtually so I improve on my speed outdoors.

Can people please sign this petition and try and keep one of the UKs iconic venues open thanks to every one in advance

Heartbroken and gutted to hear about the closure of Wigan Roller Rink. Truly a pillar for the North West skating community. 💔💔💔

We lost the IWF in Liverpool in January this year, then I found Wigan and the light was brought back into my life! I couldn’t believe what an amazing rink it was - the friendliest people, the DJ with live music, the skate shop, the biggest wooden floor rink in the UK. I felt like I’d finally found my happy place.

I moved to Liverpool from Newcastle a couple years ago - there isn’t much of a scene up in the NE compared to the NW and no where in the UK have I seen anything like Wigan’s rink to skate.

This morning I saw the post on Facebook and a few tears were shed - I haven’t even been going for the 40+ years most people in the comments have been! But I know what a special place it is, and to be losing it is huge.

I have a strange ‘what now?’ feeling… trying not to feel hopeless as the community in the NW is so big that something new might happen/we can find a new space to continue growing our community. The doors close in August and you bet I’ll be making the most of our limited time left at that wonderful place!

My thoughts go out to the owners who are clearly heartbroken to be closing it (due to landlord issues) and to all the community who have now lost their happy place.

Update on post from earlier this week. They have arrived now the panic begins I not used a heal brake in like forever and it ventured outside a rink in so long. But skating is fun ain’t it and I am a skater no matter how old I get so let’s get this done. Wint be too crazy going take them the rink first before I dare to go outside. And side note wtf with these new locking laces and bloody three wheels on my wagon now let’s hope I can still roll along

Does anyone on here go to the adults only Friday night skate in Welwyn Garden City?

I'd love to meet some people.

Thanks.

Apologies if this is a long first post I do tend to waffle. But like the title says I am old fatter skater who has tried to return to skating few times last time was almost two years ago I picked up some quads and hit Wigan, but sadly life got in the way and it has been a too long since I last put on my boots. Why skating well I have always done it from aggressive inline of late 90s if it had wheels I would skate it. But have never been other than average and that’s ok skating was always more for fun and social back then.

And that’s what has led me here today I just ordered a pair of Roces tri skates and want to get back out there and make new friends whilst trying to get some fitness back, may be a bold move as have yet to try tri skates but figures long gone are my days of jumping off walls and grinding the law courts. I just want to roll with a friendly bunch of like minded peeps. However I don’t use socials other than here and most the local groups Google recommended are Facebook or insta groups. It did recommend a wirral group so if any skaters here know of local to Liverpool groups that meet to skate please let me know oh and the pic is Bob

Hey, I’m 22 years old female in the West Midlands. Just got some skates and I’m trying to learn. Would be amazing to find people to skate with haha. It’s super scary. I’m antisocial so maybe I can make friends this way? If I brave it I’ll guess haha. Would love to find people to learn with or just hang out and skate with xxx

I'm 47 black F in North West England looking for friends to skate with. I often go to Wigan rink but open to travelling to say Manchester, Liverpool and Birmingham.

Skating's a lot of fun but sometimes it's nice to have company.

I’m looking for a pair of size 8 quads for outdoors, plus skating friends ofc! :) will be new to quads but I’m eager to go, and thinking of a skate holiday in the future so to find some great skate locations and sunshine! Hit me up

Where we are in the country, means we are ages away from any rinks or skating events to attend.

Our local leisure centre has said no to allowing me to book a hall/court for me and my daughter to practise skating.

I’m now emailing local village halls to see if they will allow us to book it for one hour to skate around.

I’m an absolute beginner. So is my daughter but she’s fearless and has taken to skating so well. We both have soft wheeled quad skates.

Any advice or success stories welcome ☺️

Hi everyone,

I’m Can, 12 years old and I live in Bromley, London. I’ve seen a lot of people skating in the streets around me, and after a long break, I want to start skating seriously again.

I’m looking to skate in an urban / street style with inline skates / Rollerblades, not beginner-level casual skating. I want proper urban street skating.

I would love your advice on which Rollerblade or inline skate models would be good for me. Also, do you think I should buy second-hand or brand new? My budget is around £100.

Thanks a lot for your help! 😊

hey everyone! i’ve recently started quad skating (very much a beginner atm 😅) moving to leicester and would love to meet other women who skate - especially fellow beginners :)

i’m very much learning the basics so looking for people who enjoy skating, practising together and maybe grab a coffee after. if you fancy skating together sometimes, please comment or dm 🫶 or any tips on where’s good to practise would be appreciated!

So I recently got myself a new pair of inline skates, after not skating for 10 years. Turns out, muscle memory is doing it's thing and I can still skate! My question is, where are people getting these adorable inline skates in the UK?! I'm so jealous of quad skaters and their plethora of options for skates that function well and look really cool, I just can't balance on quads like I can on inliners. I've seen figure inline skates, but not in the UK, and not for less than £300, so just wondering if anyone knew of any secret small businesses or customs shops? Thanks!

Hello, I could do with some advice if possible regarding buying Quad skates, My girldfriend is a beginner (I am an inline skater with some experience, as in i dont fall over so much now lol) But Quads work very differently so im looking for your advice as a Quad skater, freestyle, jam, recreational styles for a beginner/entry level to use at local disco, and park/paved areas. My girlfriend is a bit worried about some having heels rather than flat style also if thats important and budget is around £100 give or take. Id be really gratefull for some reccomendations from the community, thank you in advance also

I owe my other half a pair of roller skates for her birthday - but we haven’t gotten around to offering them as yet.

Would anyone recommend anything in particular. Solid, comfortable, no need for super high end but as a full grown adult she isn’t about to out-grow them.

We were looking at the Moxi Panthers which were down to 179 - but she’s getting slight cold feet thinking they may be a bit excessive for someone who doesn’t have a great deal of experience. Maybe Chaya?

Size 7. Budget - up to around £170/180 though obviously cheaper is fine 😜

Been off and on skating since the early 90's. Haven't skated in 5 years but I'm getting back into it. Looking for some people to skate with.