Our story
Community Wood Recycling has developed into the country’s leading social and environmental social enterprise network
How it started
Founder Richard Mehmed first realised the potential of waste wood in 1998 when building a playhouse for his daughter. He spotted some plywood outside a local factory, and when he asked if he could take a couple of them for his playhouse he was shocked to find the pile was just a fraction of the perfectly reusable wood waiting to be landfilled. Saddened by the waste, Richard came up with a plan to divert wood out of the waste stream, and the social enterprise Brighton and Hove Wood Recycling Project was born.
Since then
Thanks to the success of the Brighton project, funding was secured to franchise the model elsewhere and the National Community Wood Recycling Project was founded in 2003. The National Builders Collection Scheme was set up to market the service to building companies in 2010, allowing the NCWRP to become self-funding and offer support to enterprises without the need for grants or fundraising. There are currently 25 enterprises operating across the country, collectively forming Community Wood Recycling and collecting around 20,000 tonnes of wood every year.
Our wood recycling network creates sustainable jobs
The work we do creates jobs, training and volunteering opportunities for local people, particularly those who might find it difficult to get into or back to employment or who have been excluded from the workforce. We work with former offenders, those with mental health problems, people in recovery from addiction and young people who have never had a job.
We are committed to the re-use of waste timber
We believe that there is a better alternative than the chipper for the 4.5 million tonnes of waste wood the country creates every year. By sorting the timber for reuse we are working with commercial partners and local communities to build a circular economy.
Our Journey
Annual Reports
Our annual reports contain information about accolades, media coverage, and social and environmental outcomes, as well as the changing challenges and successes of the Community Wood Recycling business model over the year.
Newsletter
We release a monthly newsletter with our highlights from around the network, as well as articles that may be of interest to our customers.
December 2024
We look at some of the ways Community Wood Recycling helps people in taking the 5 steps to mental health recommended by the NHS, supporting their health as well as the health of our communities. We also find out how Glasgow Wood helped wood from COP26 stay in circulation for years afterwards.
November 2024
We look at the rise in popularity of Repair Cafés, and how Roots Timber Reuse has been helping the community in North Kent. We also introduce our Maker's Showcase with photos of a shepherd's hut being constructed using reused wood.
October 2024
Wood Saints welcomed Stephanie Peacock, MP for Barnsley South, to demonstrate how social enterprise can help bridge the skills gap, and we look at how The Woodhouse in Preston helps people with learning difficulties to achieve their aspirations and live as valued members of the community.
Other Publications
A Process CIC report commissioned by Community Wood Recycling to investigate the availability and adequacy of mental health provision in the construction industry.
Every year we survey our members to find out more about their work. For this year’s report we are focussing on how timber donations from our projects benefit people and organisations, and how we are turning waste into love.
