Unwanted tools wanted for ‘Self Reliance’ charity

HAVE you got unwanted tools in the back of the shed, the garage or in the loft? Why not ‘dig them out’ and take them along to the Rotary Club of Thame’s, annual collection, coming soon? The Rotary Club of Thame is asking the public to check their sheds and lofts and bring their old tools to the main car park of Thame, near the Market House in Montesson Square, on Saturday morning, May 30, between 10am and 1 pm.

Every year the Rotary Club of Thame runs a collection point for unwanted tools. These are then taken to ‘Tools for Self Reliance’ at Netley Marsh near Southampton, a charity which refurbishes them and sends them to NGO’s in Africa. The NGOs then distribute them FREE to men and women who use them to obtain work.

Rotarian Erroll Bateman said: “The Rotary Club of Thame would like to encourage everyone to check their garages and lofts and bring their unwanted items to us, to give the craftsmen in Africa a chance to put their skills to good use for the benefit of their community, as we believe it is a worthy cause.”

Items which can be collected include sewing machines, tools used for plumbing, carpentry, metalworking, building, bicycle repair, shoe repair and car repair. Unfortunately, no garden tools can be accepted. Here is the full list:

• Good quality Singer round-bobbin hand machines – because spare parts are easily available in the UK and all over Africa for these old but solidly-built machines
• Electric sewing machines. These need to be in good working order and be capable of zig-zag stitching and embroidery. A foot controller and instruction manual, though preferable, are not essential
• Plumbing tools – especially heavy duty floor-standing pipe benders
• Arc welders (240V, stick type) plus accessories
• Carpentry tools – especially large carpenters vices, metal jack planes, tri-planes and drawknives
• Building tools, especially builders squares and corner trowels
• Engineering and metalworking tools – especially HSS twist drills, metric taps & dies and hand-operated bench grinders
• Bicycle repair tools – especially spoke spanners
• Shoe repair tools – especially skiving knives
• Auto-mechanics tools – especially heavy duty foot-pumps, tyre pressure gauges and piston ring compressors
• Electrical repair tools – especially multi-meters and de-soldering equipment
• Industrial/professional quality power tools – especially heavy duty drills and bench grinders
• Blacksmiths tools – especially anvils and leg vices
• Overlocker sewing machines

These collected items will be taken to the very well equipped TFSR depot at Netley Marsh where they will be refurbished by a group of retired engineers, before being packed into containers for shipment to African countries. From the port of arrival they are taken by members of the organisation to villages to help the people become more self-reliant.

For more information visit thame.rotary1090.org or facebook.com/thamerotary