Spring can’t come soon enough for school and community gardeners in London who collected nearly 200 free garden tools from Wormwood Scrubs Prison on 19 October, thanks to Tools Shed, The Conservation Foundation’s tool recycling project.
For the past six months, HMP Wormwood Scrubs has been working with The Conservation Foundation, to refurbish broken and unwanted garden tools such as spades, hoes and trowels, collected from local garden centres and recycling depots. It is one of four English prisons taking part in the Tools Shed project, which is funded by the Big Lottery Community Fund.
The Conservation Foundation’s Alison Willis and Tracey Copley and Tools Shed workshop leader Josh Barltrop welcomed 11 local schools and community groups to Wormwood Scrubs Visitors’ Centre on saturday.
“We’re thrilled to have had the opportunity to work with HMP Wormwood Scrubs on this project over the past six months. Together we’ve rescued hundreds of garden tools from landfill, and ensured that some of our amazing local community gardening projects have the tools they need to help bring nature into their local communities. Its also a great way for offenders to give back to their local community, while learning valuable new skills.”
Community or schools gardening groups who’d like to receive refurbished tools should register on the Conservation Foundation’s website at www.conservationfoundation.co.uk/tools
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NOTES TO EDITORS:
• For more information: Contact Alison Willis at The Conservation Foundation on 020 7591 3111 or [email protected]
• Tools Shed is a Conservation Foundation project.
• The Tools Shed project does not refurbish power tools or workshop tools
• The Conservation Foundation has been driving positive environmental action since 1982. Among its projects are Wessex Watermarks, The Great British Elm Projects, the Green Health Awards, We Love Yew, Gardening Against the Odds, Unlocking Nature and Tools Shed. www.conservationfoundation.co.uk @ConservationFdn, @Toolsshedproject
Conservation Foundation