"We are talking to hundreds of Sweden's municipalities and expect to be able to pass 100 operations this year at least," says Henric Byström, brand and communications manager at Fritidsbanken Sweden.

The Leisure Bank, which is a non-profit initiative, started in 2013 and is run by municipalities, organizations and various types of associations. Today the business is located in 96 places and serves as a library where you can borrow both sports and leisure equipment for free for 14 days.

The need may increase

Hanna Broberg Järlid is site manager at "Fritidsbanken in Upplands Väsby" which opened in 2018 and she can also see that interest in borrowing activity equipment has increased at all ages.

- It is also noticed here that people apply to us. There is a much greater interest in borrowing stuff and you think more circular financially - that you do not have to buy it when you should only use it once, says Hanna Broberg Järlid.

Although the corona virus has caused some businesses in the country to remain closed, most of them are still open for the time being. The development is followed closely with the advice and instructions available. Henric Byström still believes that the need to borrow equipment will increase in the long run, even if the corona center remains.

- If you are used to moving and the training and the matches and such are canceled then you may want to borrow things from us to get out and activate in some way. You may need something to get out into the forest and then the leisure bank may be a good place to come and borrow stuff.

"Coming here when the guys need to be activated"

At Fritidsbanken in Upplands Väsby, it is not yet possible to see that the corona virus has affected the business and lending is still quite normal. 

- What we have done in limitation here is that we do not lend alpine skiing because the recommendation is not to leave Stockholm County, says Hanna Broberg Järlid, site manager at "Fritidsbanken Upplands Väsby".

Emma Sallkvist is one of the borrowers at "Fritidsbanken in Upplands Väsby". She has come to Fritidsbanken to borrow equipment. 

- We have taken the opportunity to come here on the law as well because they have activities in the hall. So when the weather has been bad and the guys need to be activated, we come here, says Emma Sallkvist.