Charity to launch garden tool recycling workshop in Edinburgh prison

The Conservation Foundation’s Tools Shed project, will provide female inmates at HMP Edinburgh with practical skills and equip school and community gardens with high-quality recycled tools.

A permanent garden tool recycling point has been set up to collect broken and unwanted hand tools at New Hopetoun Gardens located on the A904 halfway between South Queensferry and Linlithgow in West Lothian.

Tools collected from New Hopetoun and repaired at HMP Edinburgh will be distributed through the prison’s school and community network.

David Shreeve, director at The Conservation Foundation, said: “Tools Shed is a simple idea which has received a great response from the public. As well as being a new approach to recycling, it gives practical skills to prisoners and provides some very special tools for school and community gardens.

“We’re delighted to have crossed the border at last and that HMP Edinburgh and New Hopetoun Gardens will be working with us.”

Jim Shields, employability trades and crafts manager at HMP Edinburgh said: “This new project allows us to further strengthen links with the local community whilst allowing prisoners to develop and learn new skills.

“The recycled tools will provide a purposeful activity, giving a sense of purpose with a charitable link and showing what can happen with the finished product.”

Dougal Philip, from New Hopetoun Gardens, said: “We are delighted to be able to offer our customers a place to recycle their unwanted garden hand tools. We know their sheds and garages are full of tools they no longer need, but seem too good to throw away. Knowing that these tools can benefit both prisoners and the school and community projects makes folk feel good.”

To collect tools or receive refurbished ones email [email protected]