Sounds easy, doesn't it? Just pop the tools in and off it goes, right? Well, not exactly. There is a knack to packing a TWAM container - every inch, quite literally, is precious. Over the last two months, two containers were sent in quick succession - one to Uganda and one to Zambia - so we thought its about time to share with you the powerful, complex, and thrilling procedure of actually packing the tools that make such a difference to so many lives!

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Caleb, our refurbishment apprentice, is an expert at packing containers by now...

TWAM is going from strength to strength, with an enormous 40-foot shipping container recently dropped off at our Rugby refurbishment centre!

This container is Rugby's first ever of this size. Destined for Zambia, it will, by its designated collection date of August 8th, be packed full of toolkits and items our volunteers have worked hard to prepare.

But that packing is a very complex and delicate operation. Some of the items sent, such as industrial sewing machines, are extremely heavy, and must be packed safely for the benefit of any surrounding and more fragile items, let alone for the teams in Zambia who will unpack!

Also, there is the issue with space. TWAM's commitment to refurbishing or recyling 100% of all tools it receives means that the container contents have to be planned down to the centimetre. The last thing you want, after a hard few weeks, is to find a box of power tools left lying around and nowhere in the container to put them.

We sat down with the team in Rugby to discuss how TWAM is able, with ever-increasing ease, to pack these containers so efficiently.

Rule 1 is heavy items low, lighter items high. This is logical - not only does it stop anything being squished, but it prevents the container from being top-heavy. Useful to consider on heavy seas!

For mathematicians amongst you (and there are a few volunteering at TWAM), you'd be delighted to know that each container must have an equal distribution of weight. Approximately. This is to ensure the whole thing is stable. We achieve this by carefully calculating the weight of each item, and then mapping the container contents out on paper.

Ian, one of our volunteers, looks on as the container is lowered inch by inch

For the actual packing, TWAM uses a forklift to bring items from the warehouse to the container. Inside the container, a huge game of TETRIS is underway. Safety platform ladders are used to pack at height. Some items, particularly sewing machine boxes, are curved and therefore won't support much weight - to help with this, softer material such as yarn sacks and bags are used to pad out and protect delicate items

Breathing room only!

Next, you need to think about gaps between large items and boxes of tools. Too much of a gap, and things will slide about. The solution, which is as brilliant as it is simple, is to fill in the gaps with thinner, smaller, lightweight items. Saws, garden tools, and spirit levels can all be slotted in horizontally.

In terms of space, the guideline is to fill all cubic metres, except for one cubic metre at the back door for customs benefit. The last thing anyone wants is for delay in port whilst the contents are checked, so to make it as easy as possible, TWAM always seeks to leave a little room for inspectors to come in, survey quickly, and give the container the green light.

Finally, Garth, the head of our Rugby refurbishment centre, explains how you MUST check all layers are stable as you progress backwards through the container. The last thing one wants is for anything to fall or collapse inside the container en route, with no way of getting at it to fix it until it arrives. It is rather like an ornate and very heavy LEGO set - everything needs to be sturdy before you add to it.

Now, where to put these...?

Of course, there is one final, essential piece of the puzzle - our volunteers. Without our team of volunteers, none of our containers would even get off the ground. Their expertise, experience, and willingness to help are all part of the complex operation, and we are so grateful for their invaluable help.

And then, finally, the doors can close on the container. Our team goes in search of a much-needed biscuit and cup of tea after their hard work - and to start planning for the next container.

Without tools and manpower, our mission would not work. Could you help lift one of our containers off the ground, and to the communities that so desperately need them? To donate tools or to contribute to our containers' journey, check out https://www.twam.uk/donate or call the office on 10473 210220.