Boots campaign helps less fortunate

SUPPORT: Magpies rising star Jonah Lowe is getting in behind this year's Bring Yer Boots campaign. PHOTO/PAUL TAYLOR

Footy boots and sports shoes of all shapes and sizes will be gratefully accepted in Hawke's Bay Today's successful annual Bring Yer Boots campaign.

This is the third year in a row the newspaper has, in conjunction with Sport Hawke's Bay, driven the project to get footy boots and sports shoes for youngsters who cannot afford them.

Readers are encouraged to look for any old boots and hand them in at the newspaper's offices in Napier, Hastings, Waipukurau and Dannevirke.

This year up-and-coming rugby player Jonah Lowe of the Magpies has thrown his support behind the cause.

"It's a very good cause, a lot of talent goes unnoticed because some players may be less fortunate," Lowe said.

He remembers that even in high school some players turned up to games without boots. He said that growing up he knew a lot of talented players who were very good when they were young but financial disadvantage kept them from going that step further.

Hawke's Bay Today editor Andrew Austin said Bring Yer Boots was one of a number of projects that the paper was involved with in the community.

"It certainly is one of the most rewarding. Our readers are very generous people and have shown that in the past.

"I believe we will get a large number of boots in so that youngsters can go out and enjoy themselves on the sports field," Mr Austin said.

He said that one of his favourite stories from the first year of Bring Yer Boots was the reaction of one young boy on receiving his new boots.

"He said that now he would be able to run faster."

Sport Hawke's Bay's commercial manager Ryan Hambleton said the Bring Yer Boots campaign was a win-win.

"We think it's an awesome initiative, anything that will get kids more active and reduces the barriers is a good thing."

This will be Mr Hambleton's first year involved with the drive but he has kept a "close eye" on previous campaigns.

"The fact there have been over 800 pairs donated in previous years makes such a huge difference to a number of kids across the whole community."

He said it would be awesome to get a record number of donations and help out even more kids this year.

"They all go and get snapped up pretty quickly so there is obviously a demand for it."

DROP-OFF POINTS
NZME House, Level 1, 105 Dickens St, Napier.
301 Heretaunga St East, Hastings.
76a Ruataniwha St, Waipukurau.
16 Gordon St, Dannevirke