Charitable Trust ReSport calls for Northlanders to donate sports gear in time for Christmas

Editor·Northern Advocate·

31 Oct, 2023 04:00 PM4 mins to read

Charitable Trust ReSport is calling on the region's residents to donate any well-kept sports gear to be gifted to people across Te Tai Tokerau in time for the festive season. Pictured are Rochelle Williams (Kensington Fitness, left), Craig Crawford (ReSport Charitable Trust), Justin Kahotea (I Have A Dream), Te Wairua Muriwai (I Have A Dream) Jodie Hannam (I Have A Dream) and Anna Hewitt (ReSport). Photo / Tania Whyte

With many whānau feeling the pinch from the cost of living, one Northland sports charity is on a mission to make this Christmas a memorable one for Northlanders doing it tough.

Charitable Trust ReSport is calling on the region to donate any well-kept sports gear to be gifted to people across Te Tai Tokerau in time for the festive season.

The grassroots sporting initiative - started by philanthropist duo Joey Yovich and JP Dignon in 2021- uses upcycled former Salvation Army clothing recycle bins and turns them into “Mobile Pātaka” (storage containers) where people can donate taonga (gifts/treasures) ie second-hand sporting gear.

Through these Mobile Pātaka (located at Kensington’s McKay Stadium, the mid-North and Kaipara), ReSport has repurposed thousands of new and gently used donated sports goods and equipment, with the hope of doing the same this Christmas.

“We want to go off with a bang and finish the year strong, so that we have substantial engagement and stock ready and available for our Christmas Gift campaign at the beginning of December,” ReSport spokeswoman Sharon Gibson said.

“If you’ve got some sports gear that has been sitting in your garage or in storage, then that’s the kind of thing people can donate.

“This isn’t just about the material things either, it’s about creating a sense of community and a positive impact on the region, so we’re calling on everyone to get onboard.”

Gibson said ReSport’s mission was to enable more sport, play and recreation for a positive social impact and to break down any barriers preventing people from doing that.

This year the charity has already received sports kits from Kookabura Sports Group NZ, Silver Fern Sport and Rebel Sport, as well as numerous donated cricket sets, new and second-hand bikes, fishing rods and surfboards.

In-demand items were tennis rackets and inline hockey skates, as well as shoes and boots for different sporting codes.

Special Olympics Whangarei experienced first-hand the importance of the charity when in September they urgently required 10 pairs of football boots in order to send the Dargaville Terrors team to the Greenhithe Special Olympics T1 football event in Auckland.

ReSport was able to support them with the last-minute request and the Dargaville Terrors went on to win three games and place first overall in the competition.

Special Olympics Whangarei chairman Martin Barrie said that with the Special Olympics organisation’s aim being to empower people with an intellectual disability through sport, ReSport had been a wonderful support in its time of need.

“We were struggling to get football shoes for our newly-formed team in Dargaville, so I reached out to ReSport and Sharon was most helpful, especially as I’d nearly run out of time to kit our team up for the event,” Barrie said.

The Dargaville Terrors with the football boots they received from ReSport.

“With only a week, Sharon managed to find all the sizes I had asked for, going as far as Kaitāia to find some.

“What an amazing organisation and service to the community. We will certainly support them as much as we can and any unused sports equipment will be theirs.”

Regarding quality control, all donated equipment is checked by experts from different sporting codes, who critique the items and grade them to ensure they are of adequate standard and are fit for purpose.

Gibson said another key part of ReSport’s mahi (work) was promoting waste reduction, which meant whatever couldn’t be used was repurposed and went back into the circular economy, saving it from going to landfill.

Anyone interested in donating or receiving sports goods can register via the ReSport website, via their social media platforms or by calling 0800 000 626.

The following events will also be held over the coming weeks where people can donate goods or register their interest in receiving something this Christmas.