Wood RecyclAbility offers adults with a wide range of abilities the chance to experience a real workplace setting by making recycled wood products at our training centre at Cloisterseat Croft in Pitmedden.
Set up in 1997, Wood RecyclAbility is social enterprise providing practical work experience for people with additional support needs through working with waste wood. We support up to 40 trainees each day in a new purpose-built workshop, yard and 5 acres of agricultural land.
On average 1,500 tonnes of waste wood is collected and processed at the facility every year, mainly from offshore companies. As wood is an easy resource to work with, it has an array of uses and is ideal for providing trainees with a broad range of working experiences.
Wood is sorted on arrival and any contamination removed. Suitable clean wood is de-nailed and graded for reuse or recycling. It is then sold to local joiners and householders or used to make a variety of products onsite including garden furniture, nest boxes, bird tables, log stores and household products. These items are sold to the public providing a valuable source of income.
You can see, and buy, our hand-made recycled products at www.shopwood.co.uk We also make bespoke products to order – including furniture, planters and more. Just in time for summer!
Wood that is not suitable for crafting into these types of products can be used in the manufacture of chipboard and MDF. About 30 tonnes of wood are processed through the chipping machines each week and are used as a raw ingredient in these board products.
Our trainees are involved in all aspects of the business. There are opportunities to work with hand and power tools, de-nail wood, construct various products as well as enjoy interaction with fellow trainees, customers, staff, volunteers and visitors. Some trainees have used the project as a stepping stone towards full employment. We currently have a few training places available and would welcome new trainees. If you know of an individual that we could support, we would love to hear from you.
Wood RecyclAbility is a great example of how an organisation can be a sustainable business whilst providing an environmental and social benefit. But we need help. We need steady supplies of waste wood. Sending wood to Wood RecyclAbility.
Please get the word out amongst friends, family and colleagues. Do you know someone who works in the construction, joinery, distribution, manufacturing or oil and gas industries? Does their business generate waste wood, from packaging, pallets, offcuts etc.? Please ask them to contact our general manager Brian on 01651 842876 or Brian.Reid@woodrecyclability.co.uk.
Finally, we would love to expand our network of fabulous volunteers. We have opportunities in our workshop, producing goods for sale and helping the trainees with their projects; and also in the office to help us market and sell our wide range of products. If you have a few hours to spare, please get in touch with Brian as above or come along Open Day on June 01 Saturday from 10.00 – 3.00pm – we would be very pleased to see you there.
Wood Recyclability