Donated outdoor gear from Rohan is put to good use by a Specialist Autism Services group visiting Malham
Donations of unwanted outdoor gear have been put to good use by youngsters in the Yorkshire Dales.
The clothing, collected by retailer Rohan as part of the Gift Your Gear scheme, was used by the Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust to equip charities and community organisations for the outdoors.
Among those to benefit were young adults from Specialist Autism Services in Leeds. The group took part in woodland management and bushcraft and explored Ribblehead and Malhamdale, in activities aimed at helping to build confidence, creativity, independence and social skills.
One participant said: “It felt adventurous to me. It felt refreshing and a completely different side of life.”
Sarah Howcroft, founder of Gift Your Gear, said: “Thanks to the incredible generosity of everyone that took part and donated their gear at Rohan stores, we are delighted to be able to support the work of YDMT.
“Suitable clothing is vital to the enjoyment of the outdoors and I am sure this gear will get a great second life. Instead of gathering dust in wardrobes, attics and garages, it’s back outdoors where it belongs, gathering miles.”
Unwanted items such as fleeces, waterproof jackets and walking trousers were among the gear donated by the public via Rohan shops.
Gail Smith, Green Futures programme manager at YDMT, said: “The Yorkshire Dales is a source of inspiration, health and wellbeing for many people, but some of the people we work with don’t have the right clothing to head out into the hills.
“Thanks to the recent donation of clothing, we can deliver inspiring and educational outdoor activities for young people, knowing that they will stay warm, dry and comfortable, no matter what the Yorkshire Dales weather might throw at us.
“We are delighted to be involved in this fantastic scheme, and are very grateful to all the generous Rohan customers who donated pre-loved clothing.”
Green Futures is part of Our Bright Future, a £33m programme funded by the National Lottery through the Big Lottery Fund and run by a consortium of seven organisations which is led by The Wildlife Trusts.
Our Bright Future aims to tackle three big challenges facing society: a lack of social cohesion, a lack of opportunities for young people and vulnerability to climate change.
