Toolstation Funding Helps New Malden Community Projects

Toolstation, one of Britain’s fastest growing suppliers of tools, accessories and building supplies, has announced its second tie-up of the year with the Volunteer It Yourself (VIY) social enterprise. The refurbishment project will help YMCA Dickerage on Dickerage Road increase its range of services, attract new community members and help boost their revenues.

The project saw 31 volunteers, aged between 14-24 years old, the majority of whom are disengaged or excluded from mainstream education and training, help to refurbish their kitchen and café area, create a new digital education space, build new external furniture including benches and tables, and completely redecorate the interior and exterior space. The youngsters came from youth homelessness organisation the Amber Foundation, Raynes Park School, YMCA Dickerage and South Thames College.

In total 38 Entry Level 3 City & Guilds accreditations in Carpentry, Painting & Decorating and Health & Safety were earned by the volunteers and they spent 560 hours in total on the project, learning new hands-on skills and gaining meaningful work experience. 

Toolstation funds the City & Guilds accreditations, skills training, and mentoring of the volunteers. Alongside Toolstation, Travis Perkins also continued its ongoing support for VIY, donating building materials and tools for the project, Personal Protective Equipment and other consumables, as part of Travis Perkins Group's growing partnership with the social enterprise. Sport England, a non-departmental public body who help build the foundations of community sport, was also able to show their support by match-funding the project. 

The initiative is helping more young people learn DIY skills and to consider a career in the construction and building industry.

The VIY programme combines DIY and volunteering and challenges young people to help repair and refurbish community facilities while learning vocational trade skills on the job, helping them become more employable in the construction sector. 

Greg Richardson, Head of Marketing at Toolstation says: “We’re delighted to be supporting the VIY team and helping refurbish an important community space in New Malden. This project will encourage young people to develop confidence and learn practical trade and building skills and earn a qualification.”

Tim Reading, CEO and Founder of VIY says: "This project has been a great example of how VIY enables young people to gain trade skills and employment outcomes whilst helping to transform a community space they use and benefit from"

Earlier this year Toolstation with VIY helped create an outdoor social and exercise space for Coventrians RFC. Toolstation plans on funding a further five VIY projects throughout the year and aims to help over 150 young people gain qualifications and consider a career in the trades. 

Toolstation opened its 500th store in New Malden in August and this tie-up with VIY will see the team give something back to the New Malden community. In the first half of this year, Toolstation achieved a total revenue growth of +38.7 per cent, highlighting its continued strong position. 

Source : Toolstation

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