As Official Overlay Supporter to the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, GL events UK has been committed to supporting social value initiatives across the West Midlands which promote positive change in the lives of those most in need of support. A key partner in this undertaking has been the Jericho Foundation, a charity based in Balsall Health which, through a variety of social projects, supports individuals while providing them with a practical safety net of skills development and opportunities such as training, employment, and life skills.
One of these social projects, The Wood Shack, based in Sutton Coldfield is a proud member of the National Community Wood Recycling Project (NCWRP). It reclaims, reuses, and recycles wood from various sources both to sell directly to the public, and to create a range of timber products for sale, which are produced using the skills of The Wood Shack’s team of apprentices.
The Woodshack operates a commercial wood collection service that aims to collect as much wood as possible, which is either sold in the timber yard, reused, or recycled. The service collects wood waste, wooden furniture, pallets, cable drums and wood products, regardless of type or condition with the exceptional of MDF. The majority of collections are sourced from small businesses, construction sites, domestic households and manufacturing sites in the West Midlands.
After the completed collections, The Woodshack’s team checks the condition of the wood at the Sutton Coldfield timber yard. With the teams’ expertise, they can identify any visible problems or damages in the wood, which may include large cracks or contamination on the wood such as concrete, although painted timber is acceptable for use. Any wood waste that cannot be reused or sold is recycled at a local wood recycling plant into chipboard or used as a raw material for biomass fuel.
As part of the wood reclaiming process, all good-conditioned wood is sorted and prepared by The Woodshack’s team. This includes the removal of nails, screws, fasteners, and other metallic contaminants, as well as cleaning the wood to make it suitable for sale to their customers. Large pieces of wood are sold for reuse, such as DIY projects, and small pieces are transformed into a variety of products, for instance, bird boxes and the leftovers are cut up into firewood.
It is this income which The Woodshack generate through sale of timber of products, and through the timber collection fee charged to businesses, that enables The Woodshack to provide valuable training, work experience and employment opportunities for a wide range of disadvantaged individuals and help build their confidence and skills.
In addition, the social impact of Woodshack extends to help local community groups save money because they charge less than the average skip hire. Moreover, some community groups, such as charities and nurseries, may be offered discounted prices for wood items, such as natural play blocks and worktables for children.
The wood collection service offers a sustainable alternative to landfill sites and 100% of the wood collected is reused or recycled, offering environmental benefits as well as supporting a circular economy in the local area in which they operate.
Find out more about The Woodshack here.
