About 100 kg of recycled uniforms from Lake District National Park have recently landed in East Africa to equip porters who work in a national park.
The Mount Kilimanjaro National Park team in Tanzania, home to the highest mountain in the world, will benefit from the Lake District's outdoor clothing line.
The clothes were well worn by rangers in Lake District National Park, but thanks to a new kit sponsorship deal with Columbia, an outdoor clothing expert, they are now living up to expectations.
The uniform offered includes pants, a fleece, a shirt and a polo shirt. It was recently transported to Africa by the Robertson Outdoor Bursary (ROB), a registered charity, and will be used by Mount Kilimanjaro National Park staff. Impervious articles will be particularly well used during the rainy season in the region, from November to May.
Richard Leafe, Executive Director of Lake District National Park, said, "We are delighted to be able to recycle our uniform and prepare porters in another national park. The clothes are still in very good condition and I am sure Mount Kilimanjaro staff will make good use of them.
"Sustainability is at the heart of everything we do and it's a fantastic example of giving new life to something by recycling ethically.
"It's comforting to think that our kit will allow staff from another national park to perform their duties safely and comfortably.
"We will keep in touch with Mount Kilimanjaro National Park to see if there are other opportunities to create links between us."
The charity that organized it – ROB – is committed to making a difference in the lives and well-being of porters, guides and support staff working on Mount Kilimanjaro. By funding education and training that would otherwise be beyond their reach, charity allows them to advance their careers and improve their lives. It also helps ensure that porters and guides are well equipped to do their work in the mountains by collecting and redistributing second-hand mountain technical clothing.
Yvonne Robertson, who heads the association, says, "We are excited to be working with Lake District National Park to ensure that their clothing is recycled to really help the poorest people on Mount Kilimanjaro." . Together we have just improved many lives. "