Tools donated from UK garden sheds help expand programme

17:01:20 28th January 2010

Green-fingered people with old or broken tools in their garden shed are being asked to contribute them as part of a garden tools 'amnesty'.

Between February 13th and 28th, anybody with items such as old trowels, spades, hand and garden forks or lawn rakes are being asked to donate them to the 119 participating garden centres throughout the UK.

The amnesty is in aid of the Conservation Foundation's Tools Shed programme which gives tools, repaired in a number of UK prisons, to school and community gardens.

Anyone who donates to the scheme will receive a 20 per cent discount voucher to redeem against new gardening tools.

The Foundation's director David Shreeve said: "With more and more schools and community groups 'growing their own' there is a great demand for garden tools and rarely any budget.

"Tools Shed is a popular initiative that provides practical skills to prisoners, reduces waste and helps equip the next generation of gardeners."

Meanwhile children in London are being encouraged to grow their own fruit and vegetables, through the launch of the Capital Growth Schools competition.