Plans for an innovative scheme to allow people to borrow tools for projects in Carlisle has been given a £10,000 boost.
Carlisle Tool Library, run by start-up The Rebuild Site CIC, has been given the cash by the Cumbria Action for Sustainability Community Climate Grant Scheme.
The tool library, which will be based at the Rebuild Site’s premises in Kingmoor Park, will be open to all members of the public, offering a range of DIY, garden and bike repair tools to borrow.
The library will run on a membership scheme, allowing everyone to borrow tools for an annual fee of £25. Concession memberships will be available for under-25s, people on benefits, refugees and people seeking asylum.
The funding will support the first year running costs for the library, including DIY workshops, volunteer training and equipment.
The Rebuild Site team are currently accepting donations of tools to stock the library. More information on how to donate can be found at www.rebuildsite.co.uk.
The Rebuild Site team are aiming to open the library by mid-June 2023.
Rebuild Site Director Maisie Hunt said: “The whole Rebuild Team are so excited to be awarded funding. Tool libraries have proven to be a great resource
for local communities across the UK, cutting costs of DIY projects and helping people to reduce their carbon footprint. The average power drill is used for just 13 minutes in its life – we think that’s a waste of resources, so borrowing instead of buying tools is a great way to help your pocket and the environment.”
Helen Attewell, co-ordinator of the Cumbria Sustainability Network which is supporting the Rebuild tool share project said: “I am delighted that Rebuild has been
able to benefit from the Community Climate Grants provided through the Lottery-funded Zero Carbon Cumbria project. The tool share project is a really practical way of making equipment accessible and affordable for people who want to become more self-reliant and build sustainability into their lifestyles.
“Far better to have tools to share, with support on the technical know-how to operate them, than to have cupboards and garages full of equipment that you barely use and which increase global warming through the carbon used to manufacture them.
“Rebuild has come up with a fantastic win-win solution for communities and the climate, and I wish them all the best for their new venture.”
