Skaters are back in Malmesbury Abbey (From This Is Wiltshire)

Skaters are back in Malmesbury Abbey

8:03am Tuesday 9th February 2010

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A beatboxing vicar will be one of the new attractions at the Malmesbury Abbey Skatepark which will be opening this month.

Staff and volunteers at the Abbey are again gearing up to transform the 12th century, former Benedictine abbey into a skatepark for the half term holiday.

Following the success of last year’s event, which attracted a crowd of more than a hundred people, organisers are keen to provide some alternative entertainment.

Nationally acclaimed beatboxing vicar TyTe, Rev Gavin Tyte, will be leading workshops throughout the week, there will be street dance lessons and a cafe.

TyTe, a regular judge at the UK Beatboxing Championships, will be the second beatboxer to grace the Abbey in the past year.

In July Shlomo performed with pupils from Malmesbury schools at a concert there as well as on stage at WOMAD.

When he’s not teaching beatboxing Rev Tyte is the vicar of St Peter and St Paul Church in Uplyme, Devon.

Abbey curate Lee Barnes knew TyTe from his days at Trinity College, Bristol.

He said: “When we talked about having a beatboxing workshop he was the first name that came to mind.

“I knew him from Trinity but he also used to be an associate minister at Twerton in Bath so he’s pretty local.”

Rev Neill Archer hoped the skatepark would make it clear the Abbey is for the whole community.

He said: “It is important that the young people know the building is for them as much as anyone else.

“Ultimately God loves young people and we want them to feel welcome here.”

The skatepark, which is being run by Christian Skaters UK, will open its doors on Wednesday, February 17, in the afternoon and run until Friday evening with a competition to finish.

For more information visit the Malmesbury Abbey Skate Facebook page.

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