Report on Tool Aid Ringwood activities in 2025
Output of refurbished tools, sewing machines and computers was up on 2024, with sewing machines rising from 125 to 175. TWAM and Work Aid continued to be the main recipients of items to go to Africa. TWAM were still having problems with drivers and vehicles, resulting in the loss of one scheduled pickup, but this was balanced by additional collections from Work Aid. Every pickup filled their respective 35cwt vans to the weight limit. In addition to sewing machines, a high proportion of items going to TWAM comprised complete kits, especially for carpenters, plumbers and electricians. TWAM also delivered sizeable numbers of sewing machines for us to service and repair, as they lacked the capacity to deal with them. Similarly, Work Aid delivered garden tools and other agricultural implements for us to refurbish and take away with their next pickup. Most of the output from both charities continues to go to East and Central Africa. Further items went to other charities, who collected from us to ship themselves, some of which also went to East Africa but also Madagascar. We continue to supply tools, which are surplus or not suitable for Africa, to other organisations in the UK, mainly local charities and schools.
We continue to operate every weekday morning and occasional afternoons. There was some turnover of volunteers but we have maintained an active list of about 50. Most do just one day a week, so we average about 10 per day, which is a comfortable number for effective and safe working. Donated items and volunteers come via our website and other publicity efforts, including attending local shows, advertising in local free magazines and responding to invitations to give talks. As most tools going to TWAM are sent as sealed kits, to their specifications and with contents declared for Customs on the outside, we have continued to buy some items to ensure that kits go complete. We get good feedback about where our items end up and how they are utilized, with sewing machines, in particular, making a large impact on the life of recipients.
Further improvements have been made to the workshop in the year, including replacing our air filtration system. All the upgrading work has been undertaken in-house with generous financial support for materials from ‘angels’. We continue to cover a large part of our running costs from the sale of valuable metals, recovered from donated items unsuitable for refurbishment, particularly copper from cable, and other copper and brass from plumbing and electrical items. Disposing of plastic waste remains a problem but we estimate that we have once again saved at least 50 tons of material that would otherwise have gone to landfill.
Tool Aid Ringwood CIO Accounts Summary for year ending 31/12/2025
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2025 2024
£ £ £ £
Bank/Cash in Hand
Opening balance 21,229.67 17,022.01
Closing balance 24,030.15 19,079.49
Unpresented/uncleared cheques 0.00 0.00
Change 2,800.48 2,057.48
Income
Bank interest 470.92 139.33
Show income (not Gift Aid) 2,450.75 2,131.75
eBay tool sales 873.35 ---
Scrap metal sales 6,130.68 6,053.07
Donations subject to Gift Aid 2,045.00 2,524.00
Donations not subject to Gift Aid 126.00 709.39
Surplus tool sales (no GA) 6,323.65 1,898.00
Total Gift Aid recovered 538.33 702.00
Other income 0.00 0.00
Total 18,958.68 14,157.54
Expenditure
Rent 4,200.00 3,500.00
Insurance 940.86 544.90
Consumables 1,870.72 1,520.69
Tools required for kits 435.35
Petty cash/beverages 177.43 78.00
Phone/Electricity/Website 3,902.16 3,053.27
eBay& SumUp costs 49.34 ---
Show expenditure 271.67 149.28
Capital purchases 940.64 1,109.29
Donations to other organisations 2,000.00 1,100.00
Premises work 606.34 1,014.64
Routine maintenance 277.68
Other expenses 486.01 29.99
Total 16,158.20 12,100.06
Surplus 2,800.48 2,057.48
Approved by Date
L Smith Treasurer 12/01/2026
A Taylor Honorary Examiner 12/01/2026
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