A retired design engineer is helping to craft a new life for people in Africa by collecting unwanted tools and sewing and knitting machines.

And he is also using his clever woodcraft skills to carve a better life for people in Africa through the church-based charity, Tools with a Mission (TWAM).

He and other TWAM volunteers collect tools and other equipment and send it off to Africa, giving it a new lease of life and preventing it from ending up in UK landfills.

Gordon with donated tools he's collected for TWAM (Photo: Alsager Nub News)

Talented Gordon Degg from Alsager not only uses his own cleverly crafted skills to make wooden gifts to sell for TWAM, he is also a Cheshire East volunteer for the Ipswich-based charity.

For if Gordon from Birch Avenue, a member of Wesley Place Methodist Church in Alsager, isn't busy collecting unwanted tools and machinery from all over the area, he's busy in his workshop at home.

"I've always enjoyed wood turning and making things. I've done it for years," said Gordon, who grew up in Cobridge, has also made all sorts of items around his home from mirror frames to simple bowls.

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Gordon's car loaded up with tools

"People donate all sorts of things from sewing machines to spirit levels, carpenters' tools, electricians' tools, power tools, lawn mowers and other gardening equipment."

"Often people are clearing out their parents' houses and they want to donate items. We accept a lot of things which they go on to help developing countries."

When Gordon, who worked in the Potteries, gets a call from TWAM to collect items, he gets into his Renault Kaptur and goes off to the address to collect whatever is needed.

"It could be anything," says Gordon, who then drops the items off to a collection point at St Paul's Centre in Crewe for TWAM.

One of Gordon's handcrafted items he sells in aid of TWAM (Photo: Alsager Nub News)

In 2022, Ipswich-based TWAM sent 17 containers of tools to Africa containing everything from sewing machines to computers, knitting machines, boxes of power tools and builder's kits.

This included 3,000 sewing machines, 350 knitting machines, 650 carpentry kits, 400 builders' kits and 1,000 computers. 

Some of the tools bound for TWAM

In total, around 12,000 kits and large tools were sent off to Zambia, Zimbabwe and Uganda to support around 350 churches and community groups.

"This allows a lot of people to start a business and provide a living for themselves. It's about helping families find employment and look after themselves."

Tools bound for TWAM

TWAM's success stories are numerous. The pastor of a small church in Zambia set up a skills training centre to equip young men who had dropped out of school with carpentry skills.  

He then applied for TWAM tools and received carpentry and power tools to help fun the training centre which has gone from strength to strength.

TWAM - Tools with a Mission - is a nationwide charity.

Tools which are donated to TWAM are refurbished if necessary and then packed into trade kits to send off to the skills training centres in Africa.

Alsager TWAM volunteer, Gordon, has been working for the charity for a number of years and is happy knowing his work and that of other TWAM staff is helping families in Africa.

"There's so much which we take for granted in this country. I'm happy to play my part in helping others. People do collect things and if I can help others I will. It's what I do."

Readers can find out more about TWAM's work and volunteering opportunities through their website:  https://www.timefortwam.uk/