GTL gets a shout-out in Parliament and a visit from Pam Duncan-Glancy

Since our launch in 2018, Glasgow Tool Library has loaned equipment to everyone from mechanics to musicians. But last week marked a new milestone as we welcomed our first politician to the library!

Pam Duncan-Glancy MBE, Regional MSP for Glasgow, headed to our base in Firhill to learn more about the tools, training, and community collaborations that the library offers.

The special visit came after Pam championed our work at the Scottish Parliament earlier this year. In March, the politician raised a motion to celebrate GTL’s Community Build series, through which our volunteers transform spaces for community groups that are providing vital services across Glasgow.

The motion, which was backed by twenty other politicians from a range of parties, catapulted our work in North Glasgow onto the national stage. Lawmakers praised our Community Builds as a model of the power of grassroots initiatives to boost health, sustainability, and empowerment at a local level.

To learn more about how GTL works and discuss our plans for its future, Pam dropped in for a tour of the library.

From widening access to our services, to hunting out larger premises and expanding the tools and training we offer, Pam pledged her support to help us deliver more for residents across North Glasgow.

After her visit, Pam praised the ‘significant social and economic impacts’ of the library. She said: ‘It was a joy to visit Glasgow Tool Library on Monday to hear more about the work they’re doing to make equipment available to those who need it.’

Pam added: ‘The initiative is not only good for the environment because it reuses tools and equipment, but it also has significant social and economic impacts, allowing people to save money, learn new skills and meet new people.

‘The Glasgow Tool Library is a great example of the community coming together to help each other.’

Fancy getting involved with the library’s mission yourself? Visit our Volunteering page to learn more about the technical and creative roles that you can take on to help us bring power tools to the people.