AN EMBSAY man has urged Craven folk to donate unwanted tools and sewing machines to a charity which helps some of the world's poorest people to learn a skilled trade.

Trevor Kipling has been a volunteer for the past two year with WorkAid, which refurbishes donated items and sends them to vocational training projects in the UK and East Africa.

It was set up in1986 to give practical help in the wake of the Ethiopian famine and has since supported projects which help 8,000 people a year to break out of a cycle of poverty.

Trevor, of East Lane, said: "It's a brilliant idea - suppose you have a sewing machine or a set of spanners which you no longer need. You donate them to WorkAid who refurbish them, put them with other donated items to make a toolkit , then send them to vocational training projects. In that way some of the world’s most disadvantaged people can learn a skilled trade and earn a living.

"And, even better, those unwanted tools are not filling up landfill sites.

"I have asked various local businesses that sell tools to display a poster with my contact details on so that anyone buying a replacement tool might consider donating their old one to WorkAid.

"The sort of things that WorkAid collect are hand tools and power tools, sewing machines and accessories, gardening tools, typewriters, knitting machines and wool, adult bicycles. If something is donated which isn’t suitable WorkAid may sell it to raise money to help fund their work."

In the last year WorkAid, which is based in Chesham, Buckinghamshire, has given out 734 sets of tools, 1,326 sewing machines, 359 knitting machines and 193 typewriters. A team of more than 200 volunteers refurbishes donated items.

Anyone who has an item which may be of use to the charity is asked to call Trevor on 07753 462209. He can tell people where to take donated items or can arrange to collect them.