Wanted: Unused sports gear

Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-po cultural and community centre manager Neil Hirini officially hangs up his boots, donating them to the Replay bin.

WANTED: Unused tennis racquets, cricket bats, balls, hockey sticks, golf clubs, softball gloves, table tennis bats, bowling balls, saddles, rugby boots, boxing gloves ...

A recycling bin was wheeled into Levin library Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō this week aiming to give new life to old sports gear.

Library cultural and community centre manager Neil Hirini was the first to donate - his rugby boots. It was tough to let them go, but the time was right and he was comforted knowing they would be put to good use.

Ethan Pollock, who is the new community connector with Sport Manawatū, said the Replay NZ sports gear bin was the first of its kind in Horowhenua.

“Essentially, we will be welcoming Horowhenua locals with quality sports gear - boots, balls, anything - to donate to the physical bin,” he said.

Pollock said Replay NZ was a not-for-profit initiative created to keep kids active with recycled sports gear. It started in 2017 and continues to grow all over NZ.

“Replay NZ and myself will then be tasked to connect with the Horowhenua community and identify tamariki/rangatahi with significant challenges to participating in activity and sport and donate these goods to these people in need,” he said.

“It’s an amazing cause and I feel the Horowhenua community will get behind it.”

- Public Interest Journalism funded through NZ on Air.