Leicester Mercury

Human conveyor belt so handy to help move 20,000 items to store

VOLUNTEERS BRAVE WEATHER TO TRANSFER TOOLS TO NEW SHOP

- By LEE GARRETT

WET and windy weather didn’t stop a group of kind-hearted volunteers from forming a human conveyor belt to help a family-run DIY store move thousands of items of stock to its new premises.

Ashby Toolbox, which has been in Ashby’s Coxons Mews for the last five-and-a-half years, recruited nearly 100 generous helpers on Saturday to form a conga line of volunteer removal men, women and children.

Their efforts saw them join together as one long line to help move more than 20,000 items from the store to Ashby Toolbox’s new premises inside the former Peacocks store, in Market Street.

The unique idea, which was the brainchild of sales assistant Tina Bax, saw young and old transfer boxes of spirit levels, drill bits, buckets and more from one end of the high street to the other with encouragin­g cheers from the day’s special toolbox cheerleade­rs.

The conga line battled against the day’s horrible weather conditions with Ms Bax said to be delighted at the turnout for the move.

“It was a remarkable day, all things considered, especially as the rain came down just before we started,” she said. “It was a proper storm but people rallied on through it. We never had any expectatio­n of the numbers turning up but we had enough to get us from our old place to the new.

“It was fantastic the help we got and it shows how much people like to come together.”

The conga line removal service may have been a one-off to celebrate the family-run store’s move, but Ms Bax believes that it will have many long-lasting positive effects for Ashby itself.

“You wouldn’t believe how friendly everyone was. People who’ve lived in Ashby for years and never met had a natter in the line and have become great friends just like that,” she said.

“We had a few come up and tell us just that in the store, so that is the power of what something as simple as this can do.

“The people of Ashby, when called upon, really do their bit to help each other out.”

Ashby Toolbox will open from its new Market Street location on October 12.

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 ?? ?? CONGA REMOVALS COMPANY: Just some of the volunteers who helped Ashby Toolbox move its stock to new premises the other day
CONGA REMOVALS COMPANY: Just some of the volunteers who helped Ashby Toolbox move its stock to new premises the other day
 ?? ?? DIY DELIVERIES: Some of the items that had to be moved
DIY DELIVERIES: Some of the items that had to be moved

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