A much-loved Brighton recycling charity is to close after more than quarter of a century saving wood from landfill.
The Brighton and Hove Wood Recycling Project says the economic climate coupled with a lack of timber being available to recycle means it can no longer survive in the short term.
It is now asking for help in winding down the charity, which runs The Wood Store currently based in Edward Street, by the end of the year.
Its trustees said in a statement released this afternoon: “Over the past 26 years, our employees, supported by local customers and dedicated volunteers, have saved thousands of tonnes of wood from landfill or incineration and helped train hundreds of disadvantaged people improving their employment and life outcomes.
“In recent years, like many other businesses in the area, the economic climate has not been kind to us. Covid, the cost of living crisis and ongoing low consumer confidence have all taken their toll.
“The charity’s main revenue stream from recycling construction timber by preventing it going to waste and selling it for reuse or making bespoke furniture has almost disappeared.
“Timber prices have increased considerably in recent years and the construction industry has become more mindful to minimise waste – a good thing for the environment but undermining our original business model which relied on this income.
“Although we believe this may pick up again in the future we do not have sufficient reserve funds to continue operations in the short-to-mid term.
“In addition, like many charities we have always depended on council or private premises earmarked as future development for affordable sites to operate from.
“These have also become increasingly hard to find. Our ambition had been to grow revenue to a point where we could purchase a permanent site or at least afford the cost of commercial rent.
“Unfortunately, the past few years of economic uncertainty has made these ambitions impossible and our current sites are coming to the end of their lease agreements.
“Over the past few months we’ve tried to boost income, and received generous support from funders and the public, but it’s not been enough to survive.
“The Board of Trustees have therefore taken the difficult decision to wind-down the charity while we still have sufficient funds to ensure we meet all our final debts, especially payments to our loyal staff.”
It is asking people to help by:
- buy its reduced price timber
- place one final order for something it can make
- pay quickly if you owe it money
- make it an offer to purchase tooling and vehicles
- volunteer to help it wrap the charity up
All funds raised during the wind-down period will go to pay its creditors in line with charity commission regulations and to support our staff with redundancy.
We’ve bought some things from there, wood and otherwise. The staff and volunteers have always been so helpful, plus it’s saved us money. Thank you, Brighton and Hove Wood Recycling Project, and best of luck to you all.
Massive shame. However I have rung before and said did they want wood which I needed to get rid of and you’d get a volunteer not have a clue what to do and ask you to email them even through it’s a very straightforward question… Equally I’m sure Brighton council would have been happy to lower their waste bills from the tip by having dedicated spots for recycling wood.
But I guess that’s charities for you.
The volunteer did exactly the right thing – ask you to email your query instead . There are considerations which they cannot authorise. For example, how much stuff you wanted to get rid of, how far away you were. Was it worth it for them, the cost of fuel and someone’s labour, to go out and collect the waste you had? It was a charity but it was also a business.
I contacted them with regards picking up some timber – they were going to charge me £100 for the privilege!
Got someone else to take it for free
Dig deeper Jo, something is going on. Councillor Pete West is going to miss the cash as the MD. Last year they were doing ok
https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/en/charity-search?p_p_id=uk_gov_ccew_onereg_charitydetails_web_portlet_CharityDetailsPortlet&p_p_lifecycle=2&p_p_state=maximized&p_p_mode=view&p_p_resource_id=%2Faccounts-resource&p_p_cacheability=cacheLevelPage&_uk_gov_ccew_onereg_charitydetails_web_portlet_CharityDetailsPortlet_objectiveId=A14482558&p_p_auth=TVgPzkE3&_uk_gov_ccew_onereg_charitydetails_web_portlet_CharityDetailsPortlet_priv_r_p_mvcRenderCommandName=%2Faccounts-and-annual-returns&_uk_gov_ccew_onereg_charitydetails_web_portlet_CharityDetailsPortlet_priv_r_p_organisationNumber=5137647
Pete West is an unpaid trustee. He is not the MD. Get your facts straight.
Trustees
One of the trustees received remuneration of £36,245 (2022 – £27,268) from the charitable company during
the year for the role of Chief Executive Officer.
From the report link above
It was a great idea in theory, but was bound to close because of the ridiculously overpriced products and services it offered.
Jo, do you know who owes the land / building?
Brighton Hove Council
They evicted a marine engineering business as it’s to be developed into housing (block of flats above) and then the Wood Recycling moved in.
Understood it was a temporary let
Wood Recycling in Brighton history
Circus Street (now housing) to Langley Industrial Estate (now housing) to Edward Street (planned housing)
A great shame. They did a great job and helped a lot of people including the homeless and ex-offenders into the bargain.
Yeah, I know quite a few people from supported accomodations who learnt a load of skills from this charity. A real shame they are winding up. Maybe there’s scope to provide that skill-based learning environment as as new entity moving forward?
Can’t wait for more Air B&B apartments to be built on the site. 😉
Great concept, bought timber there a few times, still too close to trade prices though, maybe a bigger yard outside of town would help.
Another ugly block of flats …Will miss them