Kit Out the Nation (4th September – 2nd October) – Donate your unwanted sports kit!

In partnership with BBC Radio Lancashire, FTFC Community Trust are taking part in Kit Out The Nation.

What is this campaign about?

Kit Out the Nation’ is a BBC month long Make a Difference campaign aimed at taking in and distributing unwanted, good condition sports kit and getting it to children and teenagers who need it. It will mirror the ‘Give a Laptop’ campaign, working with partners around the country.

Why are we doing this?

We’ve long known of the issue around access to sport and exercise because of the affordability of kit. The situation has been compounded by the pandemic and this is our chance to help to improve that situation.

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee published a report on 29th July 2021 where they said data from Sport England showing 100,000 fewer children met the recommended level of activity in 2020 than in 2019 was “of significant concern”.

There are other benefits – it’s recycling on a grand scale. Good condition equipment that would otherwise go to landfill getting an extended life, it benefits the environment.

How can you support?

If you have any old or unused sports kit in good condition that can be passed on to a child in need please donate at:

Poolfoot Farm Sports and Leisure Complex, Butts Road, Thornton-Cleveleys, FY5 4HX – collection point at Reception

FTFC Community Trust will then work with local schools and children in our programmes to distribute to local children in need of a little extra support.

How can you get involved?

We are looking for donations as well as companies, charities, sports clubs and community groups willing to offer their premises for donation collection of clean kit in good condition at specified times and/or for distribution to schools and clubs who may need them, please contact the BBC using this online form to register your premises as a donation point.

Those details will be shared on the Make a Difference website – as done for Give a Laptop here.

If you have the resources and connections to distribute to those who need used but decent sports kit, then that’s great – we ask that you record how much has been collected and let us know weekly for the duration of the campaign.

If you don’t have those resources or links then we can help by linking you up with our business2schools team.

Where can you donate your unwanted sports kits?

There are also many other places to donate around the County, More details on donation points in Lancashire from 4th September and we will be adding to this list as the campaign continues.

So, check out your cupboards, sort out the bedrooms and if you’ve got unwanted sports equipment help us get them to children and young adults.