Old running shoes collected at the White Horse Gallop will get a new life through a local recycling drive.
At last month’s event, 20 pairs of trainers were collected to be recycled through JogOn, a charity that distributes shoes to people in the UK and around the world who may not have access to footwear or suffer from sole-related conditions.
Tracey Hyde, organiser of the White Horse Gallop, partnered with JogOn to launch the initiative locally. She runs Redfish Events, which also stages other local running events, including the Bratton Hilly.
“I was trying to do my bit for the environment and heard there was a recycle trainer scheme,” said Tracey.
“I will collect from every one of my events, then send the shoes to JogOn. If they have life in them, they will be sent to people; if not, they are mulched up.”
JogOn accepts running shoes in any condition, as well as football boots and hiking boots in good condition. Shoes with no life left in them are properly disposed of, ensuring nothing goes to waste. The charity estimates that over 30 million pairs of shoes end up in landfill every year.
Tracey also supports many local causes through her company’s running events. Since 2016, Redfish Events has raised over £20,000 for local charities.
