Skin Heads in South Wales:
A Dying Culture?
I spent a day on the streets with a group of skinheads from across South Wales. They’re all part of Skinheads Against Racial Prejudice (SHARP). A culture most people think they understand, but usually don’t.
People still look twice when they walk past. Some look nervous. Some already think they know the story. Walking alongside them, that disconnect was obvious. What I experienced was the opposite of what’s usually assumed; they were open, welcoming, and full of life. From the minute I turned up, I was treated like I belonged there.
There’s a real energy to them. Constant movement, constant noise, jokes flying about, walking fast like the streets belong to them; because in a way, they do. But underneath all of that is something solid. A proper sense of brotherhood. They look out for each other. No pretending. No explaining themselves.
A lot of what they talked about was keeping their culture alive. Skinhead culture has been twisted, stolen, and nearly killed off over the years. For them, SHARP is about protecting what it was meant to be - working-class, anti-racist, rooted in music, loyalty, and standing together. Not letting it be defined by hate or left to fade away.
For some of them, this group is more than just a subculture. It’s somewhere to go when the world feels off. A place where younger people can find structure, confidence, and a sense of belonging when everything else feels uncertain. That matters more now than ever.
I wasn’t there to dress it up or tear it down. Just to document what I saw. Quiet moments between the noise. Cigarettes shared. Glances between mates who’ve been through things together. The kind of trust you don’t need to talk about.
The Short Film
While we were walking and talking, the idea of a documentary kept coming up. Not anything polished or overproduced; just something honest. They want a chance to speak for themselves. To sit down, look straight into the camera, and explain what this culture actually means to them, in their own words.
For them, it’s about being seen properly for once. Talking about why they stay, why they care, and why they’re so set on keeping it alive. The brotherhood, the music, the politics, the responsibility they feel to pass it on without it being twisted into something it was never meant to be.