Opportunities now available.

Setting up the Tool Library is slowly becoming a reality.

A big thank you to all those that have donated tools and all those that have given their time to organise what space we have in The Crypt.

Cubby holes, perfect for organising tools

We definitely have a plan, and we want to get it into place, but to do this we will need help.

We took a decision this week to take the plunge and order new IT equipment to have a hub where we can continue to catalogue our tools. We will be sorting out the useable, from the less-usable and the unusable, but rest assured we will not be wasting any of the donations we have been given; we will find a use for everything.

Building a Counter

The new IT equipment will be housed in a custom-built counter area, situated by at the entrance to the workshop. The counter will be our point-of-sale station/mini office, a convenient space for now to manage all the ins & outs of the tool library/project - processing new members, checking in/out tools, inventory management, signposting for local businesses and partner/support organisations, flyers and leaflets covering details on how to carry out simple DIY tasks and info on future maker & repair sessions.

Tool Procurement

We have been donated a huge amount of tools. But we still need to purchase many cordless power tools.

A repository for the bigger stuff

The results of the survey we carried out gave us a good idea about the tools our members want to borrow and we will be purchasing our first batch of these from local suppliers over the next few days.

We still have a garage full of donated tools along with all the tools already at The Crypt. The garage will remain as a repository for some of the larger tools we can not have in The Crypt, some are petrol powered and others will take up too much room and get in the way, so for now they will stay, but we will need to move them eventually - Our priority is dealing with the tools we already have in The Crypt.

"To get things done we will need a lot of help."

Our first Maker Projects

The counter is going to be custom made by us and it would be good to get help from a few competent woodworkers.

We will also need to make some moveable workstations or workbenches and a crafting space for the less messy crafting activities - sewing, knitting, leatherwork, and similar. We hope to set up a more ‘messy’ workshop space sometime next year, we want to limit the kind of dusty/noisy activities in the crypt as we don’t thinks it's suitable for larger scale, messy/dusty/noisy projects.

Making all the infrastructure for The Crypt and sorting and organising all the tools is very labour intensive and we really need help.Please consider the importance of coming along and helping, money greases the wheels and creates opportunities. But it is you, our members and supporters that will drive this Project forward.

Our thoughts on Opening Times

We are looking to open The Crypt for at least 4 hours a day, on the days that we are open and we are hoping to be open eight days in every fortnight. Because of our location, we are prohibited to open on Sundays.

Several people have stepped up and put themselves forward to staff The Crypt already, but we do need more help so we can be open longer and for more days.

If you are able to donate two hours of your time a fortnight to help us with the setting up of the Tool Library and staffing The Crypt please do get in touch, send an email to admin@bcw.org.uk and we will contact you to discuss how you can help with this aspect of the project.

Funding, Expenses & Grant Applications

Now our funds are taking a huge hit from the purchases, services, and other costs we have to cover.

We started the financial year with nearly £9,000.

We currently have a balance of just over £8,000 - we will be paying over £600 for insurance and we have budgeted for a spend of £1,500 on IT kit (PC, printer, etc) - we have a budget of £4,000 for cordless tools and £1,000 for other tools.

This spending will leave us with about £1,000 (holding £1,000 as a contingency fund).

If we can get any items donated at the spec we want then that will be great.

Becoming a Supporter Member would help but what we really want to do is some proper fundraising. The Covid crisis is hampering progress in organising events - where potential fundraising comes from entrance fees and sales.

Being awarded monies from grants is never a guarantee but we really need volunteers that have experience with and can help with future grant applications getting involved and helping.

& Finally...

The most important part of what we do is community, that is why when we started this Project we made COMMUNITY a major part of our name.

There really is a lot of things to do. We need your help, but more importantly we need you to get involved.

We have done a lot of hard work already, but it has been made harder because of the restrictions we’ve all been living through, coupled with the fact we didn’t have a space to organise from. Now we have a space and whilst there are still limits in place, we can organise volunteers if we have the pledges of help.

Please consider the importance of coming along and helping, money greases the wheels and creates opportunities.

But it is you, our members and supporters that will drive this Project forward and make it a success.

It’s moving time!

Let’s get this show on the road!

This week it begins.

We signed our agreement with the folks at St Georges Community Center a week or so back and it looked like we could move in by the end of June.

It’s now July 1st and we’ve began moving tools into "The Crypt” (as we’ve started to call it...)

What better way to start a community project than in the beating heart of any town - the local church. It’s got great facilities too - a well stocked cafe, toilets, kitchen facilities, larger rooms we could rent out for less messier sessions,

Prior to us being in this space it was being used as a food bank, and before that... a nursery. But sadly after a bad flood the kiddies had to move out and it’s been left in a bit of a state of disrepair - for us take over - certainly better than the two leaky garages we had on the edge of the city...

We’re now a lot more central, a stones throw from the A&E (not that we’re going to need that!)

As you can see from the pictures (tap/click the well hidden little arrows) what a difference 6 months make?

Back in February 2021 Garry and I were interviewed by LatestTV against the backdrop of our two garages, clutter full of donations.

But now we have space!

With Cupboards, Shelfs, cubby holes, drawers to organise stuff and best of all, a front door we can close and lock and call a home, out of the rain and cold. YEY!

So, this week it finally begins. Sadly Nancy couldn’t be with us to share this important step - she is currently away on her holidays (remember those?) - but has been with us in spirit, and sharing the experience vicariously, she’ll be back, raring to go next week...

There’s still loads to do of course, but thanks to everyone who has helped so far this week.

"An Amazing job! - I joined this group because being a bookaholic I'd like to fill my spare room with shelves without bringing the whole place down” - Delilah

A quick roll call for our “Brighthelmtooligans" volunteer/helpers - Tony, Tony, Gill, Karen, Alison, Helen, Jo... thanks folks - our little community is starting to bud.

- Pete

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