ReSport Charitable Trust asks Northland Taniwha fans to donate unwanted sports gear at NPC game

ReSport trustee Sharon Gibson with NECT operations manager Dixie Blair, and Northland Rugby operations manager Josh Hyde with the Semenoff Stadium pātaka. Photo / Tania Whyte

A grassroots sporting initiative designed to help Northlanders overcome barriers to being active is already helping better lives thanks to donations of second-hand sports gear.

The ReSport Charitable Trust - the brainchild of Joey Yovich and JP Dignon - collects donations using upcycled clothing recycle bins renamed pātaka gifted by the Salvation Army.

And while the trust is making a difference, there is still room for more. It is calling on rugby fans headed to watch the Northland Taniwha take on Bay of Plenty at Semenoff Stadium on Friday to drop unwanted sports gear in good condition in the pātaka outside Gate A.

The difference a donation can make is well-known to 41-year-old Steven Beazley, who had part of his leg amputated in 2008 after he was injured playing rugby league.

The Touch NZ Te Tai Tokerau team leader was recently invited to play physical disability rugby league for New Zealand. Rugby league is familiar territory for Beazley who played for the Hikurangi Stags up until he was injured in a tackle.

Beazley said he suffered hyper-extension of his leg but had an undiagnosed popliteal artery injury.

“I blew everything in my leg and knee... I spent three and a half months in hospital and had 21 operations but my leg just didn’t come back.”

Beazley has taken years to come to terms with the life-changing event. However, he is settled in his new outlook which is about making the most of what comes your way.

So when he got the call-up to play for the New Zealand physical disability rugby league team, he went for it. A training session in Auckland made him realise wearing normal shoes to play wasn’t going to cut it. However, he didn’t own any boots.

“I’m a family man, so I didn’t want to spend money to go and buy boots if it turned out the game wasn’t for me. That’s money my family could use,” Beazley said.

He turned to the ReSport Charitable Trust, who were able to find a pair that fitted.

Beazley went on to make the Whutupōro Rīki Whaikaha o Aotearoa - Physical Disability Rugby League NZ North Island team to take on the South Island as part of a wider trial.

He described the small gesture of donating unwanted sports kit as paying it forward in a way that could have a greater impact on someone’s life.

ReSport trustee Sharon Gibson said the trust has received a significant amount of donated gear from Northland communities but more donations at this Friday’s game were welcome.

Local businesses participating in the Champion a Good Cause programme, hosting a mobile pātaka to collect donated sports gear from their communities, included ANZ Whangarei, McKay Stadium Sport Northland, Sudburys, Te Whatu Ora Te Tai Tokerau, Plus Chartered Accounting, Boost Brokers Whangarei, Marist Football Club, Cheers Party Hire, Harcourts Waipu, Northland Events Centre (2021) Trust and Northland Rugby Union.

Northland Events Centre (2021) Trust events and marketing manager Rachel O’Gorman said her trust “jumped” at the opportunity to get behind the initiative.

“It would be amazing if people could donate their second-hand sport equipment this Friday in order to give kids and adults an opportunity to be able to participate in sports and recreation that might not otherwise be able to due to cost and other restrictions.”

Gibson said the best part of our kaupapa is giving back and therefore ReSport welcomes request for goods orders and will do their best to fulfil them.

For more information contact ReSport via its website: www.resport.co.nz/donate, by email: info@resport.co.nz or phone: 0800 000 626.