Poppy Wortman caught up with Hannah Newlands recently on a new initiative which helps to put sports items and active wear to good use…
Bede and Ted Newlands are right behind their mum’s idea, building up boxes to collect sports gear in.
Hannah Newlands is calling for locals to donate their surplus sports kit to help others participate in sport.
The idea sparked when the Body Performance Clinic director was having a clear out of her husband’s wardrobe.
“Craig has travelled as a physiotherapist with sport each year since 2007, meaning each year he has given a whole load of kit. It’s all great quality, but he doesn’t need 13 pairs of black running shorts to run maybe twice a week!
“It was all stuff that could of good use to someone. We usually pass on old kit to family members, but sometimes sizes are wrong. The I thought of my sister and brother-in-law in Palmerston North and the kids they work with and thought it could be useful to them – as well as keeping it from going to landfill.”
Hannah said sport is hugely encouraged in the Awatapu area as a means to learn skills such as leadership, teamwork and peer support. But a big barrier to kids being involved is not having gear to wear to play.
“Cambridge is a fortunate community; Awatapu, not so much,” she said. “The concept of kids not participating in sport due to not having training gear was something I hadn’t even considered before!
“At Body Performance Clinic, we are all firm advocates for the enormous health benefits of movement and activity. The life lessons that participating in sport and teams give are something I have taken for granted but could change these kids’ lives. An act of kindness, someone to believe in your potential, positive role models, communication strategies and team work.
“It’s good to look outside our own communities and remind ourselves how fortunate we are – when we support each other we can all grow. Because what is the most important thing in life? It is people, people, people.”
Sports kit and active wear in good condition can be dropped off throughout this week – October 29 to November 3 – at Body Performance Clinic, Spoken Cycles, the Avantidrome and Rowing NZ.
