Plans for a major Church-lead project to collect second-hand and unwanted tools for developing countries and Derby good causes have snowballed to such an extent that Archbishop Desmond Tutu is now involved.

The Sustainable Development Working Group in the Church of England Diocese of Derby is working on the project in partnership with local councils, schools and private firms across Derbyshire, and the project will officially launch at The Silk Mill - Derby's Museum of Industry and History - on Saturday June 5th, which is also World Environment Day.

Beneficiaries will be the national charity Tools For Self Reliance which ensures local artisans in African countries receive refurbished tools to set up a trade, and Derbyshire Green Health Partnership, a local initiative which offers people with mental health disabilities the opportunity to get involved in conservation work. (It comprises a partnership between Derbyshire County Council, the conservation charity BTCV and the mental health charity Rethink.)

At the Silk Mill, there is an exhibition explaining the details of the Appeal and this will include a short video film of Archbishop Desmond Tutu speaking about the importance of sustainable development in poor countries and commending the Derby project. The exhibition will continue at the Museum until June 20th for public viewing.

With help and support from several Derbyshire organisations (please see Editors' notes), CofE schools and churches, the Diocese of Derby will organise collections of tools which members of the public will be invited to donate.

Items needed include tools for woodworking, blacksmithing, building, plumbing, shoemaking, leather working, car and bicycle repairing, metal working, tin-smithing, metric rules, tapes and spanners, round bobbin Singer hand and treadle sewing machines and gardening tools. These can be donated at various points across Derby.

Derby Mercia Rotary Club volunteers will manage the collections and the tools will then be sent to refurbishment centres before being shipped to Africa or the Derbyshire Green Health Partnership and Derbyshire BTCV. Most power-operated tools will not be appropriate for Africa, but power-operated gardening equipment will be welcome for the Derbyshire Green Health Partnership and BTCV.

The Rev'd Canon Donald MacDonald is Chair of the Diocese's Sustainable Development Group and said: "What started off as quite a modest plan has now become a mammoth scheme with amazing generosity being shown from a host of public and private sector organisations. We're honoured to have Desmond Tutu's support of course and this helps us highlight the difficulties facing communities in developing countries and the work of Tools for Self Reliance. All that remains to make this project a success over the summer is plenty of good quality tool donations."

Tools for Self Reliance spokesman Larry Boyd said: "At the heart of Tools for Self Reliance is a simple idea – you can't work without tools. With your help, we will put tools into the hands of hardworking people in some of the poorest parts of Africa. You can make a big difference for hard working people in some of the poorest parts of Africa by helping Tools for Self Reliance. Volunteers refurbish old hand tools - that means it costs just £1 to put tools worth nearly £3 into the hands of someone building their community. Every pound raised sends tools worth £3 to African artisans."

Den Philips, Project Manager at the Derby Green Health Partnership said: "The tools donated to this Appeal will provide practical help to the Green Health Partnership and enable local people with mental health problems to make a contribution to their community by undertaking environmental and conservation work. We hope that the general public will give their full support to this venture."

BTCV spokesman Madeleine Sprules added: "BTCV is very happy to support the appeal for tools that the Diocese of Derby is organising this summer. BTCV works very hard arranging a wide variety of conservation projects to help protect the environment and improve access to the countryside. For us to be able to carry on this good work We Need Tools. As the majority of our work is practical, the tools we use see a lot of wear and tear and don't last for ever. The volunteers for BTCV are looking forward to recycling and reusing the tools donated by the people of Derbyshire in many more conservation projects to come. The volunteer group are always on the lookout for new members."

The Rt Rev'd Jonathan Bailey, Bishop of Derby offered his commendation: “The Appeal for Tools is an excellent opportunity for members of the churches in Derbyshire, in partnership with the wider community, to give very practical assistance to people from some of the poorest countries in the world. At a time when divisions between those of different cultures and faiths seem in many respects to be widening, it is all the more important for us to be finding new ways of expressing a commitment to our common humanity. I am very glad to be patron of this initiative which brings together the aims of sustainable development and poverty relief by building bridges across continents and making a positive contribution to the local community and natural environment.”

Full details of tools collection points and more news about the project are available on the Diocese Web Site.

Ends

Notes to editors:

• The official launch for this project is June 5th (World Environment Day) at The Silk Mill - Derby's Museum of Industry and History.
• The exhibition shown will remain for the general public to see from 12.30pm on June 5th until June 20th.

List of participating and supporting organisations and individuals:-

• The Rt Rev'd Jonathan Bailey, Bishop of Derby - is a patron of the project and offers his full commendation
• The Silk Mill - Derby's Museum of Industry and History - Hosting the launch event and exhibition and will also act as a collection centre
• Derbyshire County Council - Endorsement from Chief Executive Nick Hodgson
• Derby City Council Mayor's Office - Endorsement from the Mayor and assistance with distribution of publicity material
• Chatsworth Estates - The Estate has donated a 20ft stall free of charge at Chatsworth Country Fair on Sept 4/5.
• Rolls Royce plc - providing printing support for publicity and providing its light aluminium foundry for tools sorting
• Derbyshire Fire & Rescue Service - Offering six of their stations as collection centres
• Sainsbury's (The Wyvern Retail Park, Derby) - Involved as a collection centre
• Laser Rail Ltd, Matlock - Involved as a collection centre
• Lester Lowe Ltd, Ashbourne - Involved as a collection centre