From the 6th to the 29th June 2025, 12 donation stations across Sunderland and Tyne and Wear are opening their doors to receive donations of unwanted sports kit and active wear that will be gifted to local children, young people and families.
This initiative is helping to reduce the environmental impact of discarded clothing, while also removing barriers to physical activity.
The donations will be sorted in early July and distributed to children, young people and families through local groups, to support local people to be more active this summer and beyond
The project is being delivered in partnership with Active Sunderland, Rise, Sported, Street Games, and Youth Sport Trust, and is proudly sponsored by the North East Combined Authority. The partners are working together to reduce barriers to participation in sport and physical activity locally, whilst reducing the environmental impact of sports kit and active wear. Striving to have healthier, safer, and more active communities.
Donation stations:
- Sunderland Aquatic Centre
- Ford Football Hub
- Downhill Football Hub
- Washington Football Hub
- Raich Carter Sport Centre
- Silksworth Community Pool, Tennis and Wellness Centre
- Houghton Sports Centre
- Hetton Community Pool and Wellness Centre
- Washington Leisure Centre
- Beacon of Light
- Sunderland City Hall
- Sunderland College
Louise Laws, strategic lead for children and young people’s health and wellbeing at Rise, said:
“There’s an amazing buzz in Sunderland right now and this is a great chance to boost that even more. Donating new or recycled sports kit and active clothing/footwear that you don’t need helps local children, young people and families in your community and also helps the environment, because it doesn’t go to waste or end up in landfills. ”
“Once we sort the kit, it’ll go to local people so that they can get more active and really improve their health and wellbeing, because every child and young person has the right to play and be active. We look forward to continuing to build relationships to empower the community to sustain and upscale this offer, wider.”