Needle Sports is a small single outlet shop in Keswick in Cumbria (in the North of England), yet, perhaps because of our specialist reputation, we are constantly being asked to give sponsorship to expeditions, individual climbers or other worthy causes from all over the UK, either in money or equipment. We receive annually over 100 such requests.

In fact we regret that we get so many such requests that we have taken the decision that as a general rule we can only afford to support those with a local connection, and even then within quite strict criteria.

These criteria include that, whilst we would be keen to help local youngsters explore the great ranges, or develop their own potential as climbers, we are not interested in supporting any sort of commercial enterprise, so, if you are thinking of organising a trip, do it yourselves - don't get a commercial expedition organiser to do it for you. Why should we pay you money simply for you to hand it on to swell some-one else's profits? You will find that employing such an outfit to do the donkey work for you will at least double your costs and mean that less effort, research, input and decision making is needed by those taking part, the consequence of which is that they will get a lot less out of it. In fact, the point that you start employing an agency to handle the whole trip for you is the point that it ceases to be an expedition and becomes a holiday! It also means that you may not be eligible for grants that you could have applied for were you doing it off your own bat. Many such grants are listed on the Grants section of the Royal Geographic Society website. There (on the right-hand side of the page) you will see links to their own grants and also a PDF file of links to many other grant-giving sources that you may be eligible for. In addition you may be able to apply for grants from the British Mountaineering Council and the Mount Everest Foundation. You will also find useful information on our Expeditions Advice page.

Expeditions hoping to get cheap or free equipment and clothing are advised that they are far more likely to get results by contacting the manufacturer concerned whose costs in providing such goods will be considerably less than those of a retailer. Individual climbers may well find the same, but in the latter case, don't expect a response unless you are a) really pushing the boundaries in your climbing, and b) prepared to work hard to get lots of press coverage in the climbing mags that will show off your sponsor's products to best advantage. To do this, you either need to be winning competitions or climbing very hard new routes, or preferably both!

Good luck!

Nomads on the move at 4500m in the Lunggarshan, Western Tibet (on a totally unsponsored expedition!)