Partnership working in the UK

Based in Northallerton, North Yorkshire, Chopsticks is a community charity providing supported work and craft based activities for adults with learning disabilities in the Hambleton and Richmondshire areas.

The main activity is the production of premium grade kindling and biomass woodchip fuel made from timber and offcuts which would otherwise have been sent to landfill. The members collect and sort the timber before sawing and packing into bags of kindling prior to delivering and selling to customers. On this site Chopsticks also produce planters, troughs and trellises for sale.

They also work in the community providing garden maintenance for elderly residents.

The company offers an outreach service for adults with disabilities in their everyday activities, whether that’s attending medical appointments, enjoying a walk in the country or doing a weekly shop.

When our Trustee, Phil Bramhall, accepted the appointment as General Manager & Charity Administrator some 12 months ago, the Trust offered to take some small bags of kindling to sell at Café Rwanda and show support for Chopsticks by a partnership working in the UK.

It is this type of project which we hope will stimulate Ephaste’s thinking when he visits Northallerton as a way of expanding work done with disabled people in Rwanda in the future.

For more on Chopsticks visit www.chopsticksnorthyorkshire.co.uk