Highest ambitions for new climbing charity

The ROKT Foundation has already secured funding for its first project focused on boosting women’s participation in the sport.

The sport will be the driving force of the charitable arm of ROKT Climbing Centre – home of the UK’s highest man-made outdoor climbing wall, Yorkshire’s tallest indoor wall, and an Olympic-class bouldering facility.

Fuelled by deteriorating mental and physical health across the UK, ROKT Foundation aims to use climbing alongside nutritional education and other activities to support improvements in mental health while tackling key societal problems such as obesity and depression.

The Foundation will join forces with other charities and delivery partners across West Yorkshire to create inclusive, effective, bespoke climbing and activity programmes.

Katie Kinsella, the newly appointed director of Community and Business Engagement for ROKT Foundation, said: “ROKT has an amazing facility and experienced staff that provide brilliant fun activities and attracts thousands through our doors each year from individuals to groups to schools.

“We now want to harness this momentum with climbing making its Olympic debut in 2020 to create opportunities for people who would not normally engage with us, climbing or any form of healthy activity.

“The Foundation is ambitious and we’ve already secured funding for our first project.

“We will be working with partners to provide the space at ROKT for things like creative and drama therapy sessions too, which can be targeted at young people and adults to help those that have experienced trauma.”