Network Spotlight: Wolverhampton Wood Recycling
Giving Wood – and Communities – a New Life
Wolverhampton Wood Recycling is one of the newest members of the Community Wood Recycling network, but it has already made an impressive start.
Founded by Jim Brennan and Eimert de Graaff at the end of 2025, the social enterprise rescues unwanted timber from construction sites and businesses across the West Midlands. The team collects wood that might otherwise be discarded, before sorting cleaning, de-nailing and preparing suitable material for reuse. Some is sold through their timber store, while other pieces are transformed into benches, bird boxes and bespoke commissions.
The enterprise has launched at a time when Wolverhampton faces a number of significant economic and social challenges. Unemployment in the city remains above the regional average, youth unemployment is a particular concern, and many local businesses face barriers to growth. At the same time, Wolverhampton’s proud industrial heritage has left a legacy of former industrial land that continues to shape the city’s regeneration journey.
For Jim and Eimert, these challenges are part of the reason the project exists. They see wood recycling not just as an environmental service, but as a way of creating opportunities, developing skills and helping people become more connected to their communities.
Building a Community from the Ground Up
As a new organisation, Wolverhampton Wood Recycling is still writing its story, but community is already at the heart of everything it does.
The project has brought together volunteers ranging in age from their twenties to their seventies. Some are looking to gain practical experience before moving on to college or employment, while others simply enjoy having somewhere productive to spend their time.
Working alongside one another, volunteers help sort, prepare and transform reclaimed timber, learning new skills while contributing to a project that benefits the wider community.
Co-founder Eimert de Graaff knows the value of staying active and involved. Having retired five years ago, he was looking for a way to give something back.
“It’s great work, it keeps me fit.”
His enthusiasm reflects the atmosphere the founders are trying to build: a place where people can contribute, learn and feel part of something worthwhile.
Creating Things That Matter
A recent project in Walsall shows exactly what Wolverhampton Wood Recycling hopes to achieve.
Using reclaimed timber, volunteers built a series of benches and a large community noticeboard for a new Wellbeing Garden. Designed as a peaceful space where people can sit, relax, reflect and enjoy time away from the stresses of everyday life, the garden has become a practical example of how reclaimed materials can create lasting benefits for local people.
The volunteers handcrafted the benches and created a bespoke noticeboard with opening doors, providing a place where the community can share news, events and important information.
The project shows the journey from unwanted timber to something that improves people’s daily lives. Volunteers can see the results of their work in the community, while residents gain a welcoming space to meet, rest and connect.
The team are developing more projects like this that demonstrate the value of wood recycling and give back to the community.
Looking Ahead
Wolverhampton Wood Recycling may still be young, but the founders have plenty of ideas for the future.
The team is expanding into larger premises, to create more training opportunities and develop new ways for local people to get involved. Future ambitions include workshops, a repair café and initiatives inspired by the Men’s Shed movement, creating more opportunities for people to learn practical skills and spend time together.
Giving Materials and People a Second Chance
Jim Brennan’s background in the charity sector is helping to shape the organisation’s approach. Through both his work and his own experiences, he recognised the importance of creating opportunities for people to feel useful, connected and supported.
In a recent interview he told the BBC:
“It’s using the recycling of used wood to do good in the community…. give it a new life.”
That simple idea runs through every aspect of Wolverhampton Wood Recycling, as Jim Eimert and the team build for the future.
A New Story for Wolverhampton
Wolverhampton has a long industrial history built on making, manufacturing and skilled craftsmanship. Wolverhampton Wood Recycling is drawing on that tradition in a modern way: rescuing valuable resources, creating practical products and investing in people at the same time.
Want to get involved?
There are all kinds of ways to support our work while getting a great deal. If you work at a business which creates a lot of wood waste, you can use our wood waste collection service. If you’re interested in timber, wooden products, or volunteering, get in touch with your local enterprise to find out more.