Our new Home

We are pleased to announce that we have a new permanent residence!

After months of negotiations we’ve finally got the keys to our new home in Brighton at 116 St Georges Road, Kemptown. We’re here for the duration - it’s in the heart of Kemptown village, on the high street with plenty of access for everyone - nestled between two coffee shops, opposite a newsagents, a pub and a barbers - talk about convenient!

That said, it’s in need of some serious need of TLC - having stood empty for quite some time. It used to be "Kim’s Launderette” - going back some 40 years or so, (judging by the wallpaper we’ve uncovered) - it has been completely gutted, no machines, no nothing - not even a water supply.

What era do you think this is?

We’ve already made a start, but there’s a great deal to do, build a counter, shelving, some partitions, paint, decorate etc.

Some of us have already got stuck in and there’s been some breaking down of old panels, wall battens removed, holes filled, sanded and ready for a lick of paint.

The biggest setback we have at the moment that lack of water! - (any plumbers out there want to help connect it?) It is, pretty much as basic as it gets, stripped back to the walls and floor and that is it.

A blank canvas in other words. Which is really exciting!

A Cunning plan

Our plan is to get things up and running as soon as possible - things might be a bit ‘rough around the edges’ for a while, but we’ll get the tool library back up and functioning as a priority and then progress with developing the shop itself.

The rough idea is

• A reception area upfront for visitors, maybe a sofa/chairs/bench to sit on?

• A counter area, separating the reception from the workspace - this will be for enquiries, membership sign ups/renewals, point of sale, all the usual ‘shop’ type stuff - plus tool library pickups/drop off point

• Behind the counter area will be the entrance to the workspace, where we’ll have fixed and mobile work benches (for classes) - One wall dedicated for The Tool Library shelving, and the other wall dedicated for workshop tools and materials.

• a Kitchenette/Seating area right at the at the back with another partition separating the workspace - plus basement access

• The basement containing a cleaning area, and we may have a sectioned off ’dust/spray room’, sectioned off, a place to sand and/or spray - (not Both at the same time obviously) - to minimise the dust generation upstairs in the workspace.

• There’s scope for additional ‘deep storage’ in the basement for more consumables, and/or lesser used Library Tools and/or Tool Donations in need of refurbishment.

So that’s the plan.

But first, it’s all about getting the space up to some sort of spec that we can at least call it workable, and not a building site...

...but we’re getting there.

Our goal is to be able to ‘re-open’ our doors by November 12th 2022.

We need your help.

So, if you're reading this and you're not already a member... then Join Today.

116 St Georges Road - "The Old Launderette” - Our new home

Start your sharing journey at The Tool Library, or Volunteer, or why not Make a Donation and help support us in building the Brighton Community Workshop.

We’ve Moved!

After 10 months, our time at St Georges Crypt will come to end on Thursday (5th May 2022). It’s been a good home for the last year but now it’s time to move on.

We’re really pleased to announce that we will be moving to a temporary new home in the City Center!

Our friends at Tech-Takeback have kindly provided part of their Revaluit Shop for us to use as a temporary base for the BCWP Tool Library.

We will have limited space though, so most of our inventory has been moved into storage.

During our time at Revaluit our opening hours will be the same as theirs and the Tool Library will continue to function.

Wed - Sat 10am - 5pm

Revaluit

​12 Pavilion Parade

Brighton

​BN1 1EE

We anticipate to be there in person to check in and check out library items and promote the project in general - but in the event we aren’t available, the staff at Revaluit have agreed to help us out.

They won’t be able to check reserved items in or out, but can take items and (by prior arrangement) hand out items - during this time we recommend you continue to consult with us via email.

admin@bcw.org.uk

We still need hands on volunteers, especially if you have retail experience or are good with people and

at some point soon we will be moving again, into larger premises so we need more volunteers to help run the library.

If that’s you - apply here.

We want to thank our volunteers who helped us move from the crypt, and more importantly organise our garage storage units into something less chaotic than they were in over a year ago.

Thanks guys!

Our core principles

Make, Learn, Share and Repair. But what does it really mean?

How our core principles intersect with the eco ideology

Make, Learn, Share and Repair are our core principles and have deeper roots than you may think.

In striving to achieve these principles we contribute towards community cohesion, reducing social isolation, improving the local circular economy whilst taking steps towards becoming carbon neutral and ultimately do our bit in helping to reduce climate change.

By encouraging our creative community of makers, menders, crafters and fixers to support our aims we are one step closer towards achieving our goals.

More broadly speaking, the roots of the project are characterised through the broader eco ideology of Reduce, Renew, Reuse (and Repurpose) - considered to be the most effective ways you can save natural resources, protect the environment and save money.

Brighton’s first Tool Library

Our first step was achieved thanks to the launch of Brighton's first Tool Library.

It’s not a new idea, there are Tool Libraries all over the world and we are but one in long chain of organisations spearheading The Sharing Revolution...

The global sharing revolution is happening right now and together we are spearheading Brighton’s first community sharing initiative

... but the Tool Library is a stepping stone, and once established we will cultivate and encourage our growing community to practice and learn traditional vocational techniques, developing new skills and experiences through the sharing of knowledge and creative ideas and maybe we'll make some new friends along the way?

Along with regular repairs sessions and by up-cycling objects to sell, we can generate additional funding for the workshop, improving it’s sustainability and contributing further to the local circular economy, providing a local solution to the global problem of waste, over-production, and our throwaway consumer culture.

The Community Workshop

​Our next step, and perhaps our biggest challenge, will be to find a more appropriate space for the community to unite and collaborate – in other words, The Community Workshop itself enabling us all to share our expertise and creativity.

This workshop space, along with The Tool Library, will allow many items, objects and materials to be re-used or re-purposed that may otherwise have been left discarded or stored indefinitely unused. Timber Offcuts, fabric remnants, surplus fixings, paint, adhesives, paper, card and so on.

And... by forming bonds with likeminded organisations we can collaborate on mutual aims, offering further incentives and opportunities for all of you, our member and volunteers, strengthening community bonds and adding even more to the circular economy.

So, when we say -“Delivering the Tools and Space to Make Learn Share & Repair” - there’s much more to it than meets the eye.

If you're reading this and you're not already a member... then Join Today.

Start your sharing journey at The Tool Library, or Volunteer, or why not Make a Donation and help support us in building the Brighton Community Workshop!