Hope Tools gets a makeover!
Our friends at Black and Decker/Stanley, also part of the wider tools group that includes DeWalt and Irwin, and who have a major presence in Northampton, have completed a major refit of Hope Tools.
Hope tools recruits people who have been homeless or long term unemployed, with often complex drug, alcohol or mental health issues, to learn to repair and recycle old tools, and improve their self-esteem and skills in a supportive sheltered workshop.
They have totally re-organised the workshop, supplying literally tons of new equipment and tools to support our recycling project. This includes vices, a new compressor, new drills, dust extractors and much more. It’s quite simply a brilliant piece of work at a value we can’t begin to imagine, well into four or even five figures.
The new re-fit is a great kick start to this project, enabling us to run a new drive to gather tools for repair and service users to recycle them. It all feels clean and new, and that’s a great place to start from.
Not finished yet, they are coming back to sort out our garage to enable different types of work to take place there too.
With the changes we feel certain we can really develop and increase the turnover of tools and sales we produce, and at the same time, offering a safe place of learning, confidence and new skills for our service users.
Pictured are Black and Decker staff at work and some of the tools they have given us.
Northampton Hope Centre and Hope Enterprises
