Join the Craft 2 Craft group at Tools for Self Reliance for its next sale of handicrafts. Lots of lovely items for sale including patchwork and special fabrics, haberdashery, notions, yarns and threads, tapestry, embroidery and cross stitch items, all at bargain prices. The group will also be selling its handmade Christmas cards and gifts.

Every pound raised will help to transform lives. The sale will include donated items unsuitable for Africa. Proceeds from the sale will be used to support women’s projects in Africa, enabling women to become self sufficient and support their families and communities.

Entry cost £2 pp and includes tea/coffee and a raffle ticket.

Details: Saturday 16 October, 10 til 3, Tools for Self Reliance, Ringwood Road, Netley Marsh, Southampton SO40 7GY. Click here for directions.

Please note the premises are unsuitable for children.

Enquiries: phone – 023 8086 9697 or email

Assistant fundraiser

We are looking for a volunteer assistant fundraiser to work full or part-time for 6 to 12 months.

In particular we’re looking for help with:

• researching new sources of funding to enlarge the donor database
• working with churches to increase their involvement with Tools for Self Reliance
• organising community fundraising events.

Please scroll down for further details, including how to apply.

Assistant partnership officer

We are looking for a volunteer assistant partnership officer to work full or part-time for 6 to 12 months.

The main purpose of the role is to assist the Partnership Officers to work with partner organisations to enable them to assist artisans in Africa to develop livelihood opportunities.

In particular the tasks include:

• Liaising, and developing working relationships, with partners, potential partners and other overseas organisations.
• Developing links with other UK development organisations working in the same areas as Tools for Self Reliance.
• Administering and managing the UK end of projects, including processing tool requests.
• Providing information about the artisan support programme to other staff members for fund raising and public awareness.

There may also be opportunities to help with developing partner projects, and with monitoring and evaluation.
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We are a small, friendly, NGO helping African artisans. We have a volunteer network in the UK refurbishing tools and sewing machines for the development projects of our partners in African countries.

You will gain valuable experience and learn new skills while helping some of the poorest people in Africa.

We are located in a semi-rural area on the edge of the New Forest, close to Southampton. We can offer free accommodation in our shared house.

Fundraising Assistant – task description
Partnership Assistant – task description

To apply for either post write to Jan Kidd at Tools for Self Reliance, Netley Marsh, Southampton SO40 7GY, email jan@tfsr.org or call 023 8086 9697. Please make it clear which post you are interested in.

We celebrate our 30th birthday this autumn in spectacular style with an exclusive buffet dinner on the waterside in Southampton.

The centrepiece of the evening will be an auction of promises and we have lots of surprises in store. Our aim is to raise lots of money – money that is urgently needed to enable us to support rural businesses in Africa and give people control over their own lives. And we’d like your help. Every promise that goes under the hammer will nudge us towards our fundraising target. Every pound we make will help to transform lives.

The other aim is of course to have lots of fun. We are very excited about the evening – we hope you are too. If you want to be part of it you’re going to have to hurry! Contact our ticket hotline now as spaces are strictly limited.

Tickets cost £35 each and may be bought by debit/credit card or by cheque, and must be bought in advance.

Details: Thursday 28 October, Kuti’s Royal Thai Pier, Southampton
Ticket hotline: phone – 023 8086 9697, email – info@tfsr.org

Earlier this year BBC cameras tracked the progress of one of our refurbished sewing machines as it made its way 8,000 km from Winchester. The resulting film reports were screened on the BBC’s South Today, which you can see again by clicking on the link below.

4 September – North-West Network Day

Your chance to talk about tools, training and have your say in shaping the future of Tools for Self Reliance over the next five years!

11 September – Africa Day

Saturday 11 September is Africa Day at Netley Marsh. Funded by the Big Lottery’s Awards for All, it is aimed at engaging young people in the Southampton area. There will be capoeria dancing, drumming, African arts and crafts and other activities. Free entry and parking. From 11 til 5.

14 September to 23 October – Photo exhibition

Photographic exhibition at the John Hansard Gallery at the University of Southampton celebrating the role of the volunteer at Tools for Self Reliance.

16 October – Craft Sale at Netley Marsh

Sale of handicrafts made by the Craft 2 Craft group in Netley Marsh in aid of women’s projects in Africa, £2 entry, free parking, 10 til 3.

28 October – Auction of Promises

Tools for Self Reliance is holding an auction of promises and buffet dinner at Kuti’s in Southampton on Thursday 28 October to fundraise for its projects in Africa. Tickets cost £35 and are available from the Netley Marsh office.

29 October – Midlands Network Day

Another chance to talk about tools, training and have your say in shaping the future of Tools for Self Reliance over the next five years!

30 October – North-East Network Day

Your chance to talk tools and training, and have your say in shaping the future of Tools for Self Reliance over the next five years!

10 November – Scotland Network Day

One last chance to talk about tools and training, and have a say in shaping the future of Tools for Self Reliance over the next five years!

Netley Marsh – where to find us

If you’re coming to any of the events at Netley Marsh or just want to pop in, this is where we are.

A reminder that the offices and workshop at Netley Marsh are open Monday to Friday, 9 am to 5 pm. We’re closed on bank holidays.

Tel: 023 8086 9697 Fax: 023 8086 8544 Email: info@tfsr.org

The action takes place between 11 am and 4 pm.

Where to find us

African woman by Mary Smith

Nothing’s impossible by Roy Barnard

Garden man by Bob White

Egret by Bob White

Tools for peace by Colin Knight

Spinning Jenny by Jenny Barnard

Rotarians Tony sharma and Hasib Howlader are being joined by Tools for Self Reliance’s Jo Bush on the starting line of the tenth British 10K Run in London. The race this year is being held on Sunday 11 July. All three are hard at work putting in some serious training to raise money for Tools for Self Reliance!

The route of the ASICS British 10K London Run passes many of the capital’s landmarks, including the London Eye and St Paul’s Cathedral. It attracts runners from all over the world, including current Olympic and World champions, who run shoulder to shoulder with charity fun runners and fitness enthusiasts.

The race also attracts many celebrity runners who raise awareness and funds for their chosen charities. People from all walks of life and every level of running ability choose to run the Official ASICS British 10K London Run, helping to make the day a great national and international event.

If you would like to sponsor Jo, Tony or Hasib you can do so via their Justgiving pages by clicking on the links below. Alternatively, if you would like to run we still have some places available.

Jo’s fundraising page

Tony’s fundraising page

Hasib’s fundraising page

Rotary clubs all round the country give us tremendous support in all sorts of different ways – from fundraising and sponsoring projects, to tool refurbishing and organising specialist tool collections. See our Rotary Club Pack for more information. If you would like to join our British 10K runners please call Jo Bush on 023 8086 9697 or email her at jo@tfsr.org

Rotary Club Pack

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Rotary and us

The Manifesto calls on the new UK Government to commit to spending at least 0.7% of national income on effective aid before 2013 and target aid for the poorest, most marginalised and vulnerable. It also calls for a cancellation of all unpayable debt, far-ranging cuts in carbon dioxide emissions to keep global warming below 2 degrees Celsius, help for developing countries to mitigate the effects of global warming, and removing inequalities from the global economy which keep people poor.

Scrap sculpture challenge

Create a small sculpture up to 1 metre high, 0.5 m wide and 0.5 m deep from (mainly) scrap tools.
It has to be a single piece, rather than requiring assembly.
It must be easily transportable, no bigger than will fit in the boot of your car.
It should be mounted on a non-scratch base.
The materials should be either metal, wood or plastic (not mixed media, except the base).
Turn up with it on the day!

Cake competition rules

The theme of the cake competition is a choice of either ‘Tools for Self Reliance’ or ‘30’.
Try not to eat your cake en route!

Good luck!