Damian Connor who manages Integrate’s ‘The Woodhouse’ in Preston gave an inspiring talk about this social enterprise which is a member of the National Community Wood Recycling Network. It collects and reuses waste wood in the most environmentally beneficial way whilst creating jobs and training for people who’ve faced barriers to work – due to disability, addiction recovery or homelessness,
Rigorous adherence to Health and Safety and Safeguarding requirements mean that employees and volunteers can access construction sites to hand-load wood being rescued from the waste stream. Wood is collected in 31/2 ton trucks which makes it a service 20-30% cheaper than how much firms pay for skips. When returned to the Stocks Road, Ashton depot it’s sorted by type, dimensions, its suitability for internal or external use.. Everything is stored undercover to retain its condition.
The Woodhouse makes items such as planters, birdboxes, kindling, tables, etc so that the people learn skills and grow in confidence and self-esteem. Some of the wood is sold on for reuse in DIY projects, schools, ‘Men’s Sheds’ and prisons. A small proportion is sent for recycling into wood chip, animal bedding or made into briquettes for use in power stations. Reusing wood is 10 times more carbon efficient than harvesting, milling, and transporting virgin wood.
Considering that deforestation is a major cause of climate change and that current timber certification schemes are inadequate for the protection of environments, social enterprises such as The Woodhouse based on a circular economy have much to offer.