Around 100kg of recycled uniform from the Lake District National Park has recently landed in East Africa to kit out porters working in a National Park there.
The team at the Mount Kilimanjaro National Park in Tanzania, which is home to the highest free-standing mountain in the world, will benefit from the range of outdoor wear from the Lake District.
The clothes have been well worn by rangers at the Lake District National Park but, thanks to a new kit sponsorship deal with outdoor clothing experts Columbia, the kit is now surplus to requirements.
The donated uniform includes trousers, fleeces, shirts and polo shirts. It has recently been transported to Africa by registered charity Robertson Outdoor Bursary (ROB) and will be used by a range of Mount Kilimanjaro National Park staff. In particular the waterproof items will be very well received during the area’s rainy season from November to May.
Richard Leafe, Chief Executive of the Lake District National Park said: “We’re really pleased to be able to recycle our uniform and kit out porters at another national park. The clothing is still in great condition and I’m sure staff at Mount Kilimanjaro will get good use out of it.
“Sustainability is at the very heart of everything we do and this is a fantastic example of giving new life to something by ethically recycling. It’s heart-warming to think that our kit will enable staff at another national park to carry out their jobs safely and comfortably. We will keep in touch with the Mount Kilimanjaro National Park to see if there are other opportunities for us to link up."
The charity who have organized this – ROB - is dedicated to making a difference to the lives and welfare of the porters, guides and support staff working on Mount Kilimanjaro. By funding education and training that would be otherwise beyond their reach the charity empowers them to advance their careers and improve their lives. It also helps by making sure porters and guides are properly equipped to do their job on the mountain by collecting and redistributing second hand technical mountain clothing.
Yvonne Robertson who runs the charity says: “We are delighted to be collaborating with the Lake District National Park to ensure their clothing is recycled to really help those most in need on Mount Kilimanjaro. Together we have just made many lives better."
Photo shows: Mount Kilimanjaro porters trying out waterproof jackets donated by Lake District National Park rangers.
