ReSport expands in Northland with fundraiser and Kaitāia installation

The ReSport Charitable Trust team is gearing up to celebrate two years of giving back.

The ReSport Charitable Trust is doubling down on its impact in Northland by celebrating its second birthday with a community fundraising event and new installation site in the Far North.

The trust is gearing up to open another donation Pātaka, in Kaitāia. They will also be hosting a movie fundraiser event with a sports memorabilia auction in Whangārei.

The trust collects new and gently used sports gear and equipment to share with people in need throughout Northland, while also reducing the environmental impact of sports gear and textile waste.

The auction will feature a star-studded lineup of items, including a signed Derren Witcombe All Blacks jersey and All Blacks rugby boots and a pair of signed, framed cricket shoes worn by Shaun Johnson at this year’s T20 Black Clash event.

The auction will be on May 22 at Event Cinemas in Whangārei and aims to bring together ReSport’s supporters, partners, stakeholders, and community for a night of auctions, raffles, and cinematic action, all in support of tamariki.

“The goal is to raise much-needed funds for the growth of our community initiatives and programs in the region,” said ReSport project co-ordinator Sharon Gibson.

The trust collects new and gently used sports gear and equipment, they have collected nearly 7000 items.

In the two years they have been operating they have collected nearly 7000 items and shared 4500.

The first in the celebration, themed around Community Resilience and Giving Back, is a second ReSport pātaka that will be installed at Building Safer Communities in Kaitāia.

“It will be taking place in early May, where ReSport continues its vital work through the Positive Puberty Participation initiative focused solely in Kaitāia College and Kaitāia Intermediate.”

Gibson added that this kaupapa was proudly championed by Deanna Saxon of Sport Northland, alongside their new champion Hinemoa Tipene of Building Safer Communities.

“The initiative reinforces awareness and school support around period product provision (led by the schools), while ReSport provides activewear and shared sports gear to encourage confident, comfortable participation in sport for young wāhine.”

Sport Northland’s Deanna Saxon has been working with ReSport in the Far North and said it was great to see such a worthwhile organisation celebrating two years.

“It makes resources attainable for whānau that don’t have access to them, it’s really good work.”

She said most of their work in the Far North has been around rangitahi and it was encouraging to see a lot of them able to achieve their sporting dreams.

“It’s important to give them equitable access to equipment to try different sporting codes.”

ReSport’s Gibson said the work they do would not be possible without the assistance of sponsors.