## **TOOLS FOR SOLIDARITY DOWNPATRICK ANNUAL REPORT 2024/25** 


**The Workshop** 



## **Tools for Solidarity Downpatrick** 

## **Principles / Ethics** 

Underlying  all  the  activities  of  Tools  for Solidarity Downpatrick are the principles and values of self-help and empowerment, individual and global equality, environmental awareness, inclusiveness,  voluntarism,  and  the  right  to challenge/oppose activities/actions that contradict these values. 


**Mano at Work** 

## **Mission Statement** 

TFS  Downpatrick  supports  self  reliance  by providing  high  quality  refurbished  tools  to working people overseas, promoting international solidarity, and challenging global inequalities  through  critical  examination  of development issues, environmental sustainability, and ethical working practices. 

## **TFS Downpatrick aims to:** 

Promote volunteering opportunities particularly for those with extra support needs 

Involve individuals, organisations and the public in development and environmental issues. 

Utilise  working  methods  that  develop  and support a sense of international solidarity and promote volunteering and ethical working practices. 

Promote  self-reliance  by  furnishing  overseas projects with high quality recycled hand tools and sewing machines. 

TFS Downpatrick will have appropriate premises,  personnel  and  funding  to  meet  the agreed outputs and objectives of the organisation 


**Some of our volunteers** 


**Work in progress** 



## **Chairpersons Address** 

Our workshop continues to provide a supported welcoming environment for more that 30 volunteers each week – the vast majority of whom have extra support needs. 

The benefits to our volunteers is incalculable;  improved mental well being, increased sense of worth and value through learning new skills, being active and helping others and being in a welcoming social environment. 

Unfortunately we were unable to continue with our partnership with Global Concerns Trust and their wonderful programme to support people with disabilities become artisans in Malawi due to the loss of funding from the Scottish government.  However we continue to provide high quality refurbished tools and sewing machines for TFS centres in Tanzania. 

Finally, I would like to thank the many, many people who throughout the years have supported our work through volunteering, donating money or tools or kind words and to the Southwell Trust for giving us such a great home. 


Volunteers in the workshop 



## **Volunteer Report** 

Being a volunteer is an essential element of being involved in TFS Downpatrick. All of us are volunteers and this generates a sense of sharing and support we are proud of. 

Most of our volunteers (more than 80%) are people who have extra support needs due to mental health  issues  and/or  learning  difficulties/disabilities.   We  host  volunteers  from  a  range  of organisations including Mindwise, Action Mental Health/New Horizons, Autism Initiative and Mencap. 

The mix of volunteers ranges from teenagers to the over 60s and they come from all backgrounds. What makes this so special is that we all offer encouragement and support one another.  Sharing skills and experience about the work but also about life issues is what helps create a therapeutic environment for all. 

We also host young international volunteers from our sister organisation in Belfast.  These volunteers really enjoy the experience of meeting and working with local people from so many different backgrounds.  For the locals they have the opportunity, often for the first time, to talk to someone from another culture and country about life there. 

This year our volunteers refurbished and shipped over 400 tools and 20 sewing machines to our existing projects in Tanzania. 


**Edward cleaning a tool using a bnch grinder.** 



## **TFS Downpatrick Annual Accounts April 23 –March 24** 

## **Expenditure** 

|Volunteer Travel||126|
|---|---|---|
|Materials||202.31|
|Volunteer Lunches||2253.61|
|Telephone||439.33|
|Electricity||965.45|
|Water||296.46|
|Heating Oil||289|
|Rent||1800|
|Fridge||229|
|Misc||23.08|
|**TOTAL**||**£6624.24**|
|**Income**|||
|Donations||1366|
|Grants||3800|
|Sale of Goods||1117.11|
|**TOTAL**||**£6283.11**|
|**Balance Sheet**|||
|Income||£6283.11|
|Expenditure||£6624.24|
|Balance||-£341.13|
|Opening Bal|1st April 2024|£3857.55|
|Petty Cash|1st April 2024|£114.64|
|Paypal Bal|1st April 2024|£363.67|
|Closing Bal|31st March 2025|£3397.14|
|Petty Cash|31st March 2025|£251.52|
|Paypal Bal<br>|31st March 2025|£363.67|
|Total||**-£341.13**|
|**TFS Downpatrick**|**has no assests or liabilities**||





## **Financial Report** 

This year has a small loss. 

We have been able to make some reductions in expenditure but there has but a significant fall in our grant donations, despite the best efforts of our fundraiser Ken.  It is good to seethat our donations and sale of goods has increased and we hope that this will continue in the coming year. 

Our reserves remain over half our annual expenditure which is reassuring. 

In the coming year we will continue to seek support for our work from charitable foundations and trusts and ideally secure more stable funding streams to cover our core costs. 

We are looking for funding that is not just on a one-off or annual basis – this is a challenge for us and for all small NGOs. 

Many thanks to all the organisations and individuals who have supported us financially over the year. 

## **Special thanks** 

**Mourne Grange Camphill Community Mindwise Action Mental Health Autism Initiative South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust Volunteer Now Mencap TFS Belfast Southwell Trust Black Santa Allen Lane Foundation Microcommunity Fund Geordie and Eleanor and all our Volunteers**