26th Feb 2024
The Past Year of Gift Your Gear
An insight into Gift Your Gear Beneficiaries over the last year and how your donated kit has been used.
When visiting one of our shops during a Gift Your Gear campaign, you’ll notice a drop-off box where you can donate any of your preloved, useable outdoor kit, from any outdoor clothing brand. By opting to donate clothing that you no longer reach for when heading out on an adventure, you’re providing that extra bit of support to organisations in ensuring their participants can enjoy safe, valuable outdoor experiences.
Meet the Latest Beneficiaries
Under One Sky
Under One Sky is a volunteer led charity, where they aim to use education, compassion, and collaboration to tackle homelessness. They work to empower individuals, companies, and organisations to come together and contribute to the transformation of lives.
“GYG is a crucial partner for our supply chain planning. The volume of GYG donations means we are able to offer a consistent selection of high-quality gear to our homeless friends. Not only does this bring great joy on the streets it also helps us keep our volunteers motivated. It is a special feeling to provide a piece of clothing that will help protect the recipient from harsh living and weather conditions. The right clothing can literally be the difference between life and death on the streets. For this reason, GYG is of critical value”. – Mikkel, Founder of Under One Sky.
Useful to receive: Thermal clothing, waterproofs, rucksacks, and footwear
You can learn more about Under One Sky on their website here, or read more about their involvement with Gift Your Gear, on our blog here.
Under One Sky sorting through donated kit.
Under One Sky distributing donated kit. Photo Credit: Christian Banfield.
Youth Adventure Trust
Youth Adventure Trust use a blend of outdoor adventures, and 1:1 sessions to support vulnerable young people aged 11-16. Their aim is to empower participants to reach their full potential and lead positive lifestyles, setting the foundations for a bright future.
“The young people on our Programmes are encouraged to step out of their comfort zones to show them that they can achieve more than they think they can. We use the outdoors as a platform to help each individual build resilience, develop confidence and learn skills that will last a lifetime, giving them the tools to face the challenges in their lives and enabling them to achieve their full potential”. – Louise Balaam, Director of Fundraising.
Useful to receive: Children’s Outdoor Kit
You can learn more about Youth Adventure Trust by visiting their website here.
Kitsquad
The volunteers at Kitsquad emphasise that getting out and enjoying nature is beneficial to our mental and physical wellbeing. The donations they receive are passed on to individuals and families of all ages, from 6-months – 70-years in age. These people are experiencing financial deprivation, and through your donations, Kitsquad have an extra supply of quality kit which enables them to safely enjoy the outdoors, with no limitations.
“Most of our beneficiaries require kit to get them out hiking. Whilst the act of hiking is fundamentally free, having the correct gear can be expensive. Having organisations such as Gift Your Gear make the effort to responsibly pass on this surplus gear to those that need and benefit from it is truly amazing and a real reflection of how inclusive and welcoming the outdoor community is in general”. – Fran, Founder of Kitsquad
Useful to receive: Waterproofs and boots
Read more about Kitsquad by visiting their website here.
Kitsquad unpacking their boxes of donated kit.
Ten Tors
Ten Tors is a challenging outdoor event, where young people work in teams to navigate routes of 35, 45, or 55 miles across the Northern half of Dartmoor. They are required to visit 10 nominated tors (checkpoints) in under 2 days, and each team is required to carry all items they’ll need across the challenge, whilst staying out overnight, and ensuring they’re self-sufficient.
“The Gift Your Gear donations are a huge help to the participants of Ten Tors. Many of our young people don’t have access to good quality equipment, so for them to be able to get kit for free makes a real difference, thank you”. – Ruth Gilbert, Event Controller
You can learn more about the Ten Tors challenge by visiting their website here.
People's Kitchen
People’s Kitchen is run entirely by volunteers, who work towards making life on the streets a little easier. They offer a safe space where they can share hot meals, clothing, toiletries, sleeping bags, mobile phones and more.
“The donations from Gift your Gear have made a huge difference to our friends as the donations are quality outdoor items from Rohan customers. Keeping warm and dry in the winter is hard so having waterproof trousers, jackets, good boots, and rucksacks has really made a difference. Our friends, many of whom are on the streets, said how much it meant to them so thank you to everyone involved. One man had been asking for a large rucksack to help him keep his belongings dry for a few months, and now he has one thanks you to!” – Loraine Sweeney, Volunteer
Useful to receive: Waterproofs, footwear, rucksacks
Read more about People’s Kitchen and the work they do here.
People’s Kitchen receiving their boxes of donated kit.
Age UK
Age UK have a vision of a world where everyone can enjoy their later life. They work towards this vision by providing advice, support, and friendships to older people. They state that too many people are living in poverty, are finding themselves without care, and have nobody to turn to.
“Almost 6 million older people in England are facing serious challenges, often without the support they need. We’re determined to be there for them”.
To learn more about Age UK and their work, visit their website here.
1st Wythenshawe Scout Group
1st Wythenshawe Scout Group are a Manchester based group, providing young people aged 14-18 with outdoor activities and adventures. They meet on a weekly basis and provide sessions for a group of around 160 young people, with the guidance of around 40 volunteers. They support their participants in learning through the act of adventure, while encouraging their adult leaders be young again.
“Gift Your Gear has been amazing for us since day 1, but I think it has been most beneficial since covid. We found that a lot of our families had been socially isolated so being part of the group meant they were more active, socialising, learning new skills and joining in with community activities. Gift Your Gear gave them the clothing that they needed to fully participate without a financial cost”.
Useful to receive: Coats, jackets, fleeces
Stay up to date with 1st Wythenshawe Scout Group by visiting their Facebook page here.
Participants of 1st Wythenshawe Scout Group crate stacking whilst on their scout camp.
Participant of 1st Wythenshawe Scout Group practicing archery.
Barnardo's
Barnardo’s work to support children and families who need it most. They believe that children and young people should have the opportunity to have their voices heard, and to be taken seriously. Their goal is to achieve better outcomes for more children, by working to build stronger families, safer childhoods, and positive futures. They aim to generate as much income as they can to invest in vital services that support vulnerable children and young people.
Last year, with the help of Gift Your Gear donations, Barnardo’s were able to raise £3,859.18.
Learn more about Barnardo’s and the help they offer by visiting their website here.
The unpacking process once donations reached Barnardo’s.
Crisis
Crisis is the national charity for individuals experiencing homelessness. They work with thousands of people each year as they find ways out of homelessness, and their main aim is to relieve the pressures of homelessness by aiding individuals in finding safe and affordable homes as quickly as possible. They also work to address the root causes that can push people into homelessness.
Useful to receive: Jackets, coats, and footwear.
Learn more about Crisis and the work they do by visiting their website here.
Essex Boys & Girls Clubs
Essex Boys and Girls Clubs aim to further the development and education of young people, helping them to achieve their full potential both mentally, and physically. They offer all sorts of adventures to their participants, aiming to be as accessible as possible, and providing something for everyone. From residentials in the Lake District, to mountaineering in Scotland through winter conditions.
Useful to receive: Hats, gloves, base layers, fleeces.
Learn more about Essex Boys and Girls clubs by visiting their website here or read more about their involvement with Gift Your Gear on our blog here.
Essex Boys and Girls Clubs participants enjoying the great outdoors.
Venture Scotland
Venture Scotland work to provide young people with a long-term, outdoor based personal development programme. They recognise the benefits that getting outdoors can have on our mental and physical wellbeing, and support participants in understanding and improving their mental health.
“Gift Your Gear is an amazing initiative by Rohan! We are so grateful to be a part of it because it not only means that Venture Scotland can give young people outdoor wear for the time that they’re on our Journey Programme, but often means that we have the freedom to offer young people the opportunity to keep kit that they have been using. The cost of getting their own outdoor wear can be prohibitive for the young people that we work with, so Gift Your Gear means the world! Thank you, Rohan and all your customers!” – Katie Bruce, Corporate Fundraiser
Useful to receive: Hats, gloves, walking shoes
Read more about Venture Scotland and the programmes they have on offer by visiting their website here, or discover more about their involvement with Gift Your Gear on our blog here.
Robin and Mo celebrating the Venture Scotland Gift Your Gear delivery.
Oasis Academy MediaCityUK
Oasis Academy MediaCityUK is a secondary school in Salford, which is in the top 5% of deprivation in the UK. They run the Duke of Edinburgh Award, which supports participants in developing into well rounded and responsible individuals.
“Covid made it even more apparent, the need to give opportunities to learn and experience outside of school. It being very important both for mental health and to develop a deeper understanding of the world our students live in” – Emily Williams, DofE Lead
To learn more about the Duke of Edinburgh Award at Oasis Academy MediaCityUK, visit their website here.
The Process
The donations collected across each of our shops are boxed up and sent over to our Head Office, where we sort through every item, packing them into boxes for each category of clothing:
- Waterproofs
- Jackets and vests
- Fleece and jumpers
- Legwear
- Base layers
- Children’s outdoor kit
- Rucksacks and bags
- Boots and footwear
- Warm accessories (hats, gloves, scarves)
When we’ve sorted through all donated gear, we post boxes to each of the organisations benefitting from the current campaign. These organisations work towards varied causes, and once the kit has reached them safely, their staff or volunteers will sort through their allocated boxes, distributing them to their groups as they see fit.
Your contributions play a vital role in breaking down the barriers that stop individuals from having access to the outdoors and enjoying themselves, safely. The right outdoor gear ensures that everyone, regardless of circumstances, has the opportunity to experience the benefits on mental and physical wellbeing provided by nature.
Your generosity goes beyond insulation and comfort, it opens doors to a world of possibilities for individuals who may have never had access to outdoor opportunities before. Look out for our next Gift Your Gear campaign by staying up to date with our social media channels, or by signing up to our newsletter.