A Grand Achievement

The charity provides the opportunity for adults with learning and physical disability to refurbish a wide range of tools. The tools are then made up into tradesman specific boxes e.g. carpenter, blacksmith and dispatched via a central depot to partner organisations in Africa. There local tradesmen are provided with training to use the tools to earn a living and support their communities via their skills and tools. The Club has a long history of association with the charity, having been the first Rotary Club over 15 years ago, to hold a club meeting at their workshop and spend the evening refurbishing tools. Since then the Club has made an annual visit to TFSR and spent the evening working on old tools.

The Club has successfully applied for two Foundation grants to assist the charity with its facilities and capabilities. The first grant enabled the workshop to be brought up to modern standards for health and safety concentrating on dust extraction, decoration and shelving. Club members played a major part providing many hours of labour to undertake the necessary work. The second grant has two components, first, to overhaul the grit blaster in the workshop which is essential equipment to clean rusted and pitted tools. The second, to support an organisation in Malawi who work with TFSR called the Foundation-for-Educational-and-Social-Development (FESODEV).  FESODEV identify and train small entrepreneurs, including carpenters, plumbers, electricians, mechanics, and clothes makers, in equipment use, business and life skills.  The grant will support a number of trainees, who on completion of training will return to their communities and share their new knowledge with others with whom they are working. Once trained, trainees receive a toolkit and follow up support in accessing loans and marketing products.    These grants have totalled just over £1,000 for the Milton Keynes charity with a further £600 for the training in Malawi.

The photos show members of the Rotary Club of Barton-le-Clay refurbishing old tools and a cheque being presented by Dick Osborne, Chair of the Community & Vocational Committee to Mary at TFSR.

Paul Biscoe
Barton-Le-Clay Rotary Club
25th July 2017