CELEBRATION EVENT AT PORTOBELLO WORKSHOP TOMORROW EVENING
The Edinburgh Tool Library is exactly what it sounds like: a library, but for tools. Instead of books, members can borrow a huge range of hand and power tools – from circular saws to sewing machines – all free of charge.
Inspiration for Edinburgh’s Tool Library came after Chris Hellawell, Founder and Director of Edinburgh Tool Library, visited the Toronto Tool Library during a family holiday. Chris not only saw the need for freely available tools in his own community, Leith, he had the vision of the wider environmental, financial and social value a tool library could bring.
Unlike his Canadian counterparts, Chris did not have a stock of tools, or premises to store and loan tools from, but his drive to help others inspired his next move:
“Giving people access to equipment means handing them the potential to better their living environment and potentially their lives” says Chris. “That could be as simple as putting up a shelf or hanging some pictures, or as life-changing as giving someone the tools and the chance of holding down a job. I just knew that’s what I wanted to do.”
Chris used his resourcefulness to collect donated tools and stored them in his living room. And instead of renting premises he created an online tool inventory and hired a police box on Leith Walk once a week from where tools could be collected!
Since then, Chris hasn’t looked back and has built Edinburgh Tool Library from the ground up into the thriving charity it is today. With a loan depot in Meadowbank, and workshops in Portobello and Leith, the library has grown to include more than 2,000 tools which are borrowed regularly by 1,400 members from all walks of life, saving members a collective £1.5m compared to the cost of buying those tools!
An overall reduction of around 180T CO2, the equivalent of driving a car around the world 180 times. And with the cost-of-living crisis becoming an escalating challenge, Edinburgh Tool Library is fast becoming a lifeline for many.
Not only has Chris’s environmental and economic vision become a reality, its social impact is undeniable.
Much like a book library, Edinburgh Tool Library is a hub around which the community gathers. The year-round community and outreach programme offers workshops designed to reduce social isolation, improve wellbeing, champion diversity and most importantly provide opportunities for communities to come together to learn new life and employability skills.
Projects such as “Nailing It!” work with women’s support groups around the city teaching DIY skills, building confidence and encouraging women to participate in woodwork, often for the first time. Or ‘Tools for Life’ – a programme matching a young unemployed person with barriers to work, with an older, retired person, who has skills to pass on to the trainee, helping them to build confidence and learn new skills.
Run in large by its 50+ volunteers, the love and commitment of these volunteers was never more evident than during the pandemic. The Edinburgh Tool Library put it’s resources towards hot meal, and art pack delivery, as well as providing logistical support to the Edinburgh Mask Makers volunteer group, helping over 17,000 masks reach key workers across the central belt.
This kindness is also evident in the membership framework. The charity charges members £30 per year to borrow tools and to gain free access to their workshop programme, along with invites to community social events.
Members can also buy a ‘£40 pay it forward’ membership which includes a reduced £10 membership fee for those facing financial hardship. All membership income is ploughed back into supporting the charity’s environmental and social objectives.
For those interested in becoming a member or supporting their charitable work through their fun ‘Adopt a Tool’ scheme, visit edinburghtoollibrary.org.uk or email them on hello@edinburghtoollibrary.org.uk.
Or pop along to their celebration event at their Portobello Workshop (19 Windsor Place, EH15 2AJ) tomorrow – Thursday 27th October (5 – 8pm) – where they will welcome you in, show you their fantastic workshop facilities and introduce you to their friendly team!