Southampton Wood Recycling Project

Southampton Wood Recycling Project was setup in 2012 and has since grown considerably, hiring over 13 employees and seeing more than 350 volunteers come through the doors. You can find us at the very end of Willment’s Industrial Estate in Woolston.

History

The founders of the project are avid sailors, sailing mainly traditional gaff rigged boats. It was during the winter maintenance of one of these that a piece of rot was found in the Gaff Jaws.

These needed a small piece of Oak to be laid in, replacing the rotten timber. Not much needed, just a piece about a foot and a half long.

Having exhausted many avenues of finding oak at a reasonable price and in small quantities, Andrew stumbled upon a Community Wood Recycling Project. They had just the piece that he was after : an offcut of Oak and at a really cheap price.

This inspired the setting up of a Community Wood Recycling Project in Southampton, an area that is currently unserved by such projects. And henceforth here is Southampton Wood Recycling Project, which opened its doors in January 2013 at an open yard in Totton.

In July 2013, we moved into our first permanent yard at Market Place, Southampton, and were blessed with such luxuries as a roof, toilets and electricity!

In March 2015, we opened our refurbished retail display area, which displays various ideas and items for sale, all the while continuing with our commercial wood waste collection service.

In February 2016, we moved to our new yard in Willments Industrial Estate – and although down the end of a long road, is much larger.

This increased space means we can stock more recycled wood and most importantly, open up new volunteering opportunities for those in the local community.

In addition to our wood yard, we also have a fully stocked shop and a showroom filled with inspiration for your next project or furniture you’re looking to commission from our workshop team.

Our showroom and shop is the latest addition to the Project, opened in 2018. Here you can discover the range of rustic furniture available to order in addition to a great range of gifts, kits and supplies to complete your own woodworking projects.

If you’re not able to visit in person, you can see our range of rustic furniture in our online shop in addition to request a quote for a custom piece of furniture for the home or garden.

Mission Statement

“Southampton Wood Recycling Project saves wood waste from going to landfill, provides affordable timber and resources to the local community, and develops people to be ready to enter sustainable employment.

It provides a commercially viable wood waste collection and retail service; moving wood up the waste hierarchy and saving it from going to landfill whilst offering training, volunteering and work opportunities to those facing barriers to gaining paid employment.

Southampton Wood Recycling Project strives to be an exemplary social enterprise with regard to policy and practice, and believes that working with wood offers a range of benefits, both in practical skills and in a wider therapeutic sense.”

Andrew Challis – Director