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As the cost of living rises and budgets are stretched, there's one expense Taylah Power refuses to cut — her children's sport.
Sport was an escape when she was growing up, and it's a passion she wants to pass along to her two sons.
"Whatever was going on in the outside world, it all disappeared while you were at training or on game days — you didn't have to worry about anything exterior," she said.
"You were part of that team and that was all you really had to think about for that short amount of time, which was good."
Loading...Being one of five siblings, however, meant sport came with a hefty price tag for Ms Power's parents.
"It was a bit hard for my mum to always provide everything that we needed herself, so we did rely on family [and] friends to give us boots or a lift to sport, but we made it work."
Now, with Ms Power's two boys playing multiple sports throughout the year, she has started to feel the cost of registration fees, uniforms, travel and equipment herself.
When one of her sons grew out of his third pair of football boots in the span of a year, she knew she couldn't be the only parent looking for a cheaper, more sustainable way to get kids through sport.
"I had this thought about giving [the boots] away for free, but my husband and I were talking and we thought we could do it singularly … or how good would it be if we could get the community involved and share it around?"
Other parents jump at the opportunity
Ms Power put a call out on social media to gauge whether other parents around Orange, in central western NSW, would be interested in trading their kids' good-quality, outgrown gear.
The messages and donations flooded in.
Around 200 families reached out to Ms Power after the initial post, with everything from footy boots to boxing gloves donated.
Dozens of people showed up on the day to drop off and collect items.
"Someone putting their kid through a new sport was able to come and get hockey gear … the stick he actually got was brand new in the plastic so that's even better," Ms Power said.
"We've had families with young children just wanting to try a sport for the first time able to get gear without reaching into their pockets to pay for it."
Brothers Julius and Ulysses dropped off some headgear and shin pads in exchange for new boxing gloves.
"It's really good because I don't want my headgear anymore but I definitely want these, and somebody else would like my headgear," Julius said.
Mother of three Jodie said the free sports gear helped ease the financial burden after the NSW government this year scaled back its Active Kids vouchers.
"Getting your children into sports and extracurricular activities has become so expensive, so to come and get some gear for free makes it a little easier on your back pocket," she said.
Sport is a priority in her children's lives, despite the rising cost.
"It's hugely important, not only physically but for their mental health as well and also their social skills growing up."
Accessibility a top priority
While the premise of the event was to trade outgrown sports gear for items that fit, Ms Power was adamant that no-one would be excluded from picking items up if they didn't have something to drop off.
"I don't want any money involved, I don't want anybody to feel like they can't access it because of a cost.
"I want anybody from any walk of life, any background to feel like they can come and get what they need to put their kids through sports."
Ms Power plans to make the event a regular occurrence in Orange and hopes parents in other areas will be encouraged to start similar projects.
"It might help someone else in another community want to do the same thing and it would just be beneficial for so many people.
"Just get in and get it done; you don't know how much it would actually positively impact another family."
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