Rekindled campaign calls on Canberrans to kick in and give footy gear a second life

A single photograph from a tiny community in the Northern Territory has reignited a boots-and-all campaign for Brad Nagle.

In 2022, the Kirra Services managing director and proud Bundjalung man organised a program that invited Canberrans to donate unused football boots, balls and other sporting equipment.

The items were then flown to Gapuwiyak in East Arnhem Land.

“The teacher was [recently] able to send me a photo of the kids running around in the boots they got, and some using some of the gear,” Brad said.

“It was quite cool to see they’re still in use a couple of years later.”

Brad decided to launch the Boots for Indigenous Kids initiative when he lived in the community with his wife, a teacher at Gapuwiyak School.

“The intention was to just get a couple pairs of boots and some football gear and whatnot,” he said.

“But we had quite a good response from the community in Canberra – we ended up with three pallet loads of equipment that we sent off.”

Now, he’s managing another round of donations of football boots, soccer balls and equipment such as training cones and jerseys.

Brad said the aim was to help clubs – and communities – that struggled to get resources for players.

The only stipulation on items: they must be in useable condition.

“We’re mindful some kids might only play a few games [of a sport] in a pair of boots before they get put in a cupboard – and then they need new ones anyway,” he said.

Canberrans can support the program by donating gear at drop-off points in Turner and Kaleen. There are also plans for boxes in other locations.

Although the campaign had a soft launch earlier this year, Brad encouraged everyone to consider their spare sports equipment as they headed into the new year.

“We’re looking to get things moving on a larger scale now,” he said.

“For this round, we’re taking a different approach in that we are going to be sending out smaller packages to more places.

“Those three pallet loads of equipment were a large logistical piece but we are looking to work with more clubs and more people [this time].”

Brad said while a destination for the new round remained undecided, he was talking to several regional communities.

“The idea is that we will be working with multiple places,” he said.

“It could be western Queensland or it could be Far West NSW. [It would] just be smaller clubs that might not have access to equipment.”

As the second run takes shape, he urged Canberra businesses to join the team as sponsors or to host a donation box.

Brad said the program was more than getting kids moving.

“For us, it’s about being able to build opportunities for some clubs that don’t have access to resources.

“It could be they’re not able to participate in competitions or games because they don’t have the right equipment.

“If we’re able to make the connection between somebody having a spare pair of boots in their cupboard to a child being able to participate in a game, I think that’s a win.”

Find further information on the donation campaign, including drop-off points, on the Boots for Indigenous Kids website.