Your help can really make a difference
Join Our Team
Do you have a bit of spare time? Would you like to meet new people and learn new skills in a friendly, relaxed, and enjoyable environment?
We’re looking for volunteers of all ages and abilities to support our work — whether that’s helping in our workshop and shop in Crickhowell, assisting at our sorting and packing depot or eBay shop in nearby Llangattock, or lending a hand on our stall at local community events and the festivals we attend each year.
We offer training, great company, and of course, plenty of tea and biscuits! Volunteering with us is fun, rewarding, and a chance to be part of a wonderful charity making a real difference.
At Tools For Self Reliance Cymru, volunteers are at the very heart of the organisation. We have two aims:
Some of the tools we receive aren’t
suitable for use in Tanzania.
Our volunteers carefully refurbish these at our Crickhowell workshop, after which they’re sold in our shop (pictured above), on eBay, and at the community events and festivals we attend. The money raised provides essential funding to support our ongoing work.
We collect old and unwanted tools and sewing machines from across Wales, generously donated by members of the public.
Our volunteers sort through these items at our Llangattock depot (pictured above). Everything suitable for use is packed and shipped directly to Tanzania, just as it was donated. Once there, our local Tanzanian team refurbishes and distributes the tools to those who need them.
There are many ways you can help us, it is good fun, very friendly and worthwhile. You will be made very welcome.
Here are just a few of the many opportunities we have on offer:
- Tool Collecting in your area
- Sorting and packing at our depot
- Tool Refurbishing at our workshop
- Promotion of the organisation within the community
- Fund-raising
- Helping to run our stalls at the community events we attend
- Crewing with us festivals such as Glastonbury and Green Man, we attend 5 a year
- Helping us run blacksmithing and green woodworking workshops at festivals
- Ebay – helping run our eBay sales
- Working in our shop
- Promotion through Social Media
- Construction and assembly of tool boxes near Sennybridge is also a volunteering opportunity
- Please send us a message using the link below if you are interested or call into our shop in Standard St, Crickhowell NP8 1BZ – 0330 355 0122
Become a volunteer
Your help can really make a difference to Tanzanian artisans, their families and communities.
Volunteers are always made welcome and our workshop and depot are a safe place for people of all ages and abilities.
You will make new friends and there is plenty of tea and even some biscuits.
You will have the chance to learn new skills, backed up with training.
Simply contact us by clicking here or call us on 0330 355 0122
Volunteer FAQs
Our volunteers are involved in a variety of activities. At our Llangattock depot near Crickhowell, donated tools and sewing machines are dropped off. These are sorted into items suitable for shipping to Tanzania and those that can be refurbished for sale. Some items are scrapped, while lightweight sewing machines are sent to Workaid to support people in the UK. While experience with tools is helpful, training is provided for anyone willing to get involved. The depot also manages our eBay store, and we urgently need volunteers to help with this. Supervisors are on hand at the depot every day.
At our workshop on Standard Street, Crickhowell, volunteers refurbish tools to a high standard using basic workshop equipment such as grinding wheels. Full training is provided. We also repair and sharpen tools as a service to the local community. Next to the workshop is our shop, where refurbished tools and other donated items, including collectables, are sold. Volunteers are needed to assist with refurbishment and to help run the shop, with training provided for both roles.
We also rely on volunteers to help run stalls at community events. At festivals, volunteers are needed to form crews, and we particularly welcome blacksmiths and green woodworkers to help run our very popular workshops.
Our volunteers work a range of days and hours to suit their circumstances. Some are retired and come on set days, others come along when they can. We maintain a rota of staff to ensure we have sufficient cover.
The workshop and shop are open Monday – Friday: 9.30 – 3.30 pm and Saturday: 10 am – 1 pm. The depot is open Wednesday and Thursdays.
Volunteering is unpaid although travel expenses can be claimed, tea, biscuits and good company are provided.
We pride ourselves on being an open and diverse organisation, open to all ages 16+ and genders. Some volunteers come with their carers. The workshop is too small to accommodate wheelchairs unfortunately. Volunteers must be over 16.
You will be part of a small local charity that has been helping to alleviate poverty through self-reliance for nearly 40 years. It is very rewarding. Our volunteers are friendly and packed with interesting, sometimes eccentric characters. Some are highly skilled and you can learn a lot from them. You will make many new friends and have the opportunity to learn new skills and be part of something very worthwhile. And there is tea. Some volunteers join us as a first step towards finding employment where they may have found it challenging before.
You will also have the opportunity to attend festivals and community events.
To get started simply email us at contact@tfsrcymru.org.uk or ring our workshop on 0330 355 0122 and we will be glad to answer any questions and to arrange a visit for you to see our operations.
Support us
Help us support the people of Tanzania
Donations of tools, sewing machines, or financial contributions are always deeply valued and appreciated. They help to change lives.