Hartlepool firm stops sales to Russia and gives huge donation to Ukraine mercy mission
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Ultralight Outdoor Gear is donating sleeping bags and inflatable sleeping mats worth £4,500 to a planned mercy mission to war-torn Ukraine.
Chief operating officer Dan Pearson said: “The war has been the topic of conversation in the building every day. It affects every one of us.
"You feel a bit helpless.”
Ultralight employs 21 people on the Wynyard Business Park and is a leading retailer of outdoor clothing and equipment including camping kit.
The firm was founded in 2006 by Hartlepool man Mark Richardson and it sells to clients all over the world.
But Mr Pearson said: “We have stopped selling to Russia which was one of our bigger international markets. It was about 1% of our business but we stopped selling to Russia on the first day that the tanks rolled in to Ukraine. We felt it was the right thing to do.”
The specialist camping firm is going even further by donating more than 40 sleeping bags and inflatable mats to the Ukraine cause.
Mr Pearson said the war was “so big and we felt we needed to do something to help”.
Ultralight regularly supports worthy causes including the Tees Valley Wildlife Trust and the Stockton and Billingham food banks.
It also supports Unicef, Save the Children, Help for Heroes, Against Malaria, Rainforest Trust UK and the World Wildlife Fund.
But now comes its latest donation which will be sent to Hogg Global Logistics, which is based at the Hartlepower Energy Hub, in Stranton, Hartlepool.
The family-run firm has more than 30 years of experience in business and ships goods around the world.
Hogg Global is appealing for first aid goods, bandages, plasters, eye washes and sterile wipes as well as good condition blankets, sleeping bags and quilts.
Mr Pearson said: “With some help from Exxel UK, the distributors of Sierra Designs and Kelty sleeping bags, we will be donating 45 sleeping bags to the appeal with a retail value of £4,500.
“We will be dropping them off with Hoggs during next week along with a number of inflatable sleeping mats.”
He described it as a ‘small contribution given the scale of the tragedy in Ukraine but it will make a difference for some people’.
Officials at Hogg said the number of donations it had received had doubled inside a day.
Company director Lyndsay Hogg previously told the Hartlepool Mail: “People in our town would share their last penny. They are absolutely fantastic.”
Those wanting to make donations to Hogg Global Logistics can either visit the company between 10am and 5pm or call 07757 099190.
