A SCOTTISH skateboard company is staging a quirky exhibition to raise funds for a charity which supports young Palestinian boarders.

Glasgow-based re:ply Skateboards invited 50 artists, graphic designers, printmakers and photographers to design and make boards for the re:deckorate exhibition which opened at Bar Gandolfi in the Merchant City on Friday.

re:ply Skateboards owner Danny Aubrey, 25, said the team were asked to incorporate the values of freedom, community and empowerment, concepts that are strongly represented within skateboarding culture and are also part of the ethos of the charity, Skatepal.

It is working with communities throughout Palestine to enhance the lives of young people and promote the benefits of skateboarding. It is raising funds and recruiting for volunteers to expand its network of skateparks across the occupied Palestinian territories.

Skatepal’s Charlie Davis said: More than half of all Palestinians living in the occupied territories are under 21 years old. Yet for many young people across the West Bank and Gaza, cultural, educational and sporting opportunities are severely limited.

“The Occupation has bred a feeling of powerlessness for Palestinians. Skateboarding is one of the most inclusive sports in the world. It instantly dissolves barriers between class, race, age and gender. It engages youth, relieves stress and helps to build confidence and form long-lasting friendships.”

re:ply takes old and discarded skateboards and transforms them using local artists and original art and screen-printing techniques before selling them on.

The team behind re:ply are all skaters themselves and have a close link to the skating community, not only in Glasgow but around the world. Some of their boards have ended up as far away as Australia.

The best-known contributor to the exhibition is Glaswegian visual artist Toby Paterson.

re:deckorate runs until Sunday, February 25. The boards on display can be bought during the exhibition and at a closing auction on the final day. A number of boards sold at the launch night.