Weston Super Mare based Somerset Wood Recycling (SWR) receives £40,000 investment from Resonance’s South West Social Investment Tax Relief (SITR) Fund – its second investment from this Fund - enabling it to create a new retail space for its bespoke handmade furniture, and to purchase a new works vehicle.
SWR is a sustainable social enterprise set up in 2006. It provides volunteer and training opportunities for local disadvantaged people including ex-offenders, long-time unemployed, NEETs (a young person Not in Education, Employment, or Training) and people with disabilities to secure employment. It does this by helping people develop new skills and gain valuable experience in a real work environment, working with wood in outdoor spaces as part of a team. SWR does an incredible job of re-positioning lives in a positive way, whilst challenging perceptions of ‘waste’ by salvaging second-hand timber – through its paid-for waste collections and wood re-use service - from across Somerset, turning it into individually designed and handmade items and furniture.
Sustainability is key to SWRs mission; helping local, disadvantaged people gain valuable employability skills and experience through the manufacture of bespoke handmade furniture while supplying the local community with reasonably priced re-purposed and sustainable timber.
Through steady growth, SWR now needs a larger showroom space in order to showcase more of its range of bespoke furniture. This will enable them to market their products much more effectively, presenting them in a properly designed setting. The investment will be used to refurbish an existing onsite space, with the new showroom sitting next to the manufacturing workshop. This will mean that visitors and customers will be able to see the recycling process in action, from the rescue of old timber through to the manufacture and creation of beautifully hand crafted recycled wooden products.
Creating a separate new retail space will also free up much-needed space in the warehouse for storing commissioned products before they are delivered or collected.
Additionally, as part of its wood collections services, SWR operates collection vans that source and collect wood from (primarily) local manufacturing and construction businesses. However, one of its aging vehicles now needs to be replaced so this investment has come at a crucial time, enabling the business to maintain its vital wood collection services.
The expansion of the showroom space and the purchase of a new vehicle will enable SWR to continue to provide a vital community resource – both in terms of transforming people’s lives and in championing sustainability through its recycling of precious timber resources.
Tristan Tudor, Somerset Wood Recycling said: “Working with Resonance we recently secured investment of over £40,000 – to enable us to convert space in our building into a show room for our products and furniture. This is going to massively help us in our aim to make Somerset Wood Recycling a destination for timber and timber products in the South West. Work will be starting on converting the room next month.”
Katalin Juhasz, Resonance’s South West SITR Investment Manager said: “I am delighted that Resonance has invested in Somerset Wood Recycling for a second time. It is such an asset to the local community in many ways – from providing training and employability opportunities for disadvantaged people to wood waste recycling and product manufacture – an example of a business contributing to a more sustainable business both socially and environmentally. This new investment will enable it to create a much-needed decent retail showroom space alongside its manufacturing workshops as well as a new vehicle – crucial for its wood waste and collection services.”
[1] Quartet Community Foundation Vital Signs 2019. Taking the temperature of local communities
[2] English Indices of Deprivation 2019
[3] North Somerset Council: Local Plan 2036 Sustainability Appraisal: Scoping Report
About Social Investment Tax Relief
Resonance’s South West SITR Fund provides a vital support scheme for social enterprises and charities that are working hard to improve vulnerable people’s lives in our communities across the country, providing solutions to some of their region’s most significant social problems, including:
Resonance also operates a SITR Fund in the West Midlands
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Resonance Impact Investment Limited, a subsidiary of Resonance Limited, is authorized and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). Firm number 588462.
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