The Rutland Handyman festive offer to help projects free of charge nears deadline

Time is running out to pitch projects to a charitable handyman who is gifting his DIY skills for free to worthy causes.

The Rutland Handyman, AKA Toby Bale, has offered to carry out 12 jobs free of charge to groups and individuals in need in the county.

It is part of the Christmas Rose Project, launched in memory of Dennis and Iris Rose, former neighbours of Toby’s wife Jadene, whose kindness to their community in Edith Weston inspired the festive gesture.

“We’ve had some excellent nominations, including a local nursery and a resident in Ryhall,” said Jadene.

“We’d still love some more nominations as our 12 days aren’t booked up yet.”

The official deadline for nominations is Friday (October 31) to allow the couple to order in materials and book in a slot for the work to be carried out early in the new year.

The Cottesmore business would like to hear about small projects that can be completed in a day, but would consider longer projects, too.

Toby carries out a range of work from gardening and general DIY to plastering, tiling, and painting and decorating.

To put your project forward, email therutlandhandyman@outlook.com or call 07572 698289.

The couple are also creating wooden poppies from offcuts to donate to Cottesmore Parish Council to be hung around the Rutland village for this year’s Remembrance commemorations.

They started the environmentally friendly gesture last year in Foxton so the parish council could avoid buying in plastic poppies.