Wyevale Garden Centre is inviting green-fingered folk to trade in their old and broken gardening tools for new ones to help school children and community groups with their gardening projects.

Wyevale is asking gardeners to assist with their ‘Garden Tool Amnesty’, which is in aid of The Conservation Foundation’s ‘Tools for Schools’ programme known as ‘Tools Shed’.

Tom Yates, Manager of Wyevale Garden Centre – Thornbury, said: “It’s the second year we have run an appeal like this and last year we supported the international charity, Feed the Children. We will give anyone who brings in their old gardening tools to both garden centres during the two weeks a 20% off voucher to redeem against any new gardening tools from our Wilkinson Sword, Yeoman or Joseph Bentley ranges.”

The initiative applies to tools such as trowels, spades, hand and garden forks, hoes, good old-fashioned garden rakes and lawn rakes, but not power tools, which are those powered by electricity or are petrol-driven.

Any donated tools will be delivered to Wandsworth prison and refurbished by prisoners nearing the end of their sentences, contributing to their re-training and rehabilitation. The revamped tools are then offered to primary schools and community groups for use in their gardens.

The Conservation Foundation’s Director, David Shreeve explained: “We’re delighted that we’ve been able to link up with Wyevale Garden Centre for our 2009 Tools Shed initiative. Schools tell us how difficult it is to get the equipment they need for their gardens and a recycling project that helps equip the next generation of gardeners, reduces waste and provides practical skills for prisoners, seems the ideal solution.

“With more and more schools ‘growing their own’ there is great demand for garden tools and rarely any budget. With Tools Shed successfully launched at HMP Wandsworth, there is interest in the next stage from potential partners including other prisons, local authorities and schools organisations and we are planning to start working in other parts of the country later this year.”

In 2009 the Foundation hopes to work with HMP Moorland near Doncaster and interest has been expressed by HMP Edinburgh and HMP Glen Parva near Leicester too.

David added: “The main barrier to expanding the project has been getting a steady supply of tools and this Tool Amnesty with Wyevale Garden Centre presents us with a great opportunity to take Tools Shed to other parts of the country.”

For further details, please call the garden centre, which is located in Milbury Heath, on 01454 412247 or click below.
www.wyevale.co.uk