Rohan: Gift Your Gear
Picture the scene: snow covers the ground in our home of Pearsons Wood and it’s a bitterly cold day on-site. As a woodland social enterprise, the KindleWoods team is used to dealing with all weather conditions, but it can often be a different story for our woodland wellbeing participants at the beginning of their journeys with us.
Some arrive in thin coats and jumpers, which work for a short period of time or on warmer days, especially after we teach them to light a fire. But when we say this day was cold, we mean it was one of the coldest days in the UK for 25 years! An anorak would simply not suffice.
This is where Rohan come in. Gift Your Gear is a Rohan initiative that provides outdoor clothing to community organisations, youth groups and charities working with young and disadvantaged groups in the outdoors, across the UK.
For KindleWoods, the Gift Your Gear donations meant our team could rest safe in the knowledge that, come rain, sleet, snow, or sunshine, we have suitable outdoor clothing available for our participants if they are unable to bring their own.
During the pandemic this has been particularly relevant; families in challenging circumstances have been able to continue to access our service safely in all weathers.
Like Janet for example. She's been attending our sessions with her two fantastic children who are autistic and have experienced significant mental health challenges during the pandemic. The sessions have had a powerful impact, and we were delighted to be able to support the whole family to attend by providing suitable warm and waterproof clothing thanks to the Gift your Gear scheme.
You can find out more information about the scheme, by heading to their website.
