Author: thomas

Laura Matthews at Sport Taranaki has had two old badminton racquets and case sent down from Auckland for the Replay NZ initiative that recycles old sports gear for local kids. Badminton Racquets from the past passed on for young players to enjoy  A woman who played badminton in Waitara in the 1950s has donated her racquets, so younger badminton players can enjoy the game. Lesley Stimpson, 82, a ‘’Taranaki girl’’ who now lives in Auckland, read about Sport Taranaki’s new initiative, Replay, a community programme that collects new and used sports gear and redistributes it. The racquets had...

Family collects old sports gear for kids who don’t have it   A new community group collecting used sports gear to recycle to children who don’t have access to their own is asking for public donations.   Denise McLean started Replay in February after a discussion with her family about what they should do with sports gear they no longer needed.  After having a cleanout of their gear, she  and husband Andrew McLean and their daughters Millie McLean, 8, and Lucy McLean, 11, all sat down to talk about how they could make sure this gear went directly into kids’ hands. Out of...

WANTED: Unused tennis racquets, cricket bats, balls, hockey sticks, golf clubs, softball gloves, table tennis bats, bowling balls, saddles, rugby boots, boxing gloves … A recycling bin was wheeled into Levin library Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō this week aiming to give new life to old sports gear. Library cultural and community centre manager Neil Hirini was the first to donate – his rugby boots. It was tough to let them go, but the time was right and he was comforted knowing they would be put to good use. Ethan Pollock, who is the new community connector with Sport Manawatū,...

Children’s charity work ensures sport gear gets another life  Palmerston North Intermediate Normal School held a donation day where they supported the Replay charity, which recycles used sports equipment and gives it a second life with children who may have difficulty affording or accessing sports gear. The school collected 530 pieces of equipment or clothing, ranging from bike helmets, roller skates, moon hoppers, shoes, balls and a fencing mask. There were 61 pairs of rugby boots and 51 hockey sticks. The school’s sports leaders, including Julia Hutchinson, 12, and Joseph Steer,...