Last month, the European Outdoor Conservation Association (EOCA) ran its first ever Online Conservation Fundraiser. Thanks to the tremendous support of members and partners, the event has been highly successful in raising over €16,400 of vital funds for conservation projects.
Each year, EOCA hosts a Conservation Fundraiser at the OutDoor by ISPO tradeshow. This fundraiser raises in excess of €30,000 over the 4 day event, thanks to generous donations of gear from EOCA members which is then sold to show visitors. With the 2020 show cancelled, EOCA launched its first ever Online Fundraiser, to ensure that it could still fund as many conservation projects as possible – at a time when these projects are needed more than ever.
The Online Conservation Fundraiser allowed people to buy their favourite outdoor gear and make a difference, raising money for vital conservation projects. Adventure.ie, La Sportiva, Pajak, Stanley, and Vaude all very generously agreed to donate a percentage of their online sales to EOCA on various dates over the fundraising period. Gregory made a donation from a sample sale. EOCA also worked with campaign partner and community interest (nonprofit) company, Outdoor Gear for Good (OGFG), which contributed 100% of its sales over the month to the fundraiser. OGFG sold gear donated by Berghaus, Cumulus, Keen, Lowe Alpine, Nikwax, Osprey, Proagencies, Ternua and Trangoworld through their eBay store. The money raised is still being counted and collected but already, the total raised stands at over €16,400. 100% of all money raised will be spent on conservation projects Joint General Manager Catherine Savidge said, “The generosity of EOCA members, particularly at a time when businesses across Europe were being hit by the Covid-19 pandemic, was overwhelming. To be able to raise this amount of money during our first ever Online Fundraiser, to pass on to projects which are making a real difference to our planet and our climate, demonstrates yet again, the positive things that can be delivered when the industry works together.”
Richard Leedham, Founder of OGFG added “OGFG is a new model, which launched in the spring of 2020 to provide a way for excess stock from the outdoor industry to be used to raise money to give back to the great outdoors. The EOCA Online Conservation Fundraiser enabled us to fast track our growth, offer new items and to raise awareness of what we are doing. We were delighted with the success of the fundraiser and to be able to give back so much to conservation projects via EOCA at a time when conservation is so critical to the survival and health of people and the planet. We look forward to seeing our partnership with EOCA going from strength to strength in the future.”
INFO: EOCA
