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Leeds Wood Recycling's van was stolen, de-stabilising, income, pausing our environmental mission for reuse. Help us get back on track!
by Charlotte Stanley in Leeds, England, United Kingdom
Leeds Wood Recycling's pledge for Climate Action:
Bringing city wide awareness to the importance of circular economy and climate change, boosting waste timber up the waste hierarchy.
Reuse – Change lives – Empower – Upskill
The construction sector generates over 30% of the UK’s waste, 25% of its carbon emissions, and has a significant impact on biodiversity. LWR is a hub which educates about reuse, giving people of all ages and backgrounds skills and knowledge to appreciate the value of timber as a resource creating a community and network of recyclers.
Our Fundraiser
On Christmas Eve one of our vans was stolen from a locked compound in what was a targeted and planned robbery.
The van was a key part of our livelihood, and purchased with a loan for £21,000 two years ago. We are awaiting our insurance to pay out for the loss of the van but we know it will not cover all the costs we now face. It won't cover the cost of getting a replacement cage and it certainly won't cover the lost revenue, van hire and staff wages during this period. The van was how we earnt our money and we need your help!
About Us
Leeds Wood Recycling is a Community Interest Company, a not for profit organisation that aims to benefit our local community. As a social enterprise our mission is to have a positive impact both environmentally and socially through climate action. We have been running for 6 years, working hard collecting and repurposing waste timber otherwise destined for landfill across Yorkshire fulfilling our motto: "Doing social good, using your waste wood".
We employ 13 members of staff, and work with over 20 volunteers many of whom have been marginalised and have had real challenges in getting employment.
Our Impact - Climate Action
We have diverted over 43,965 cubic yards from landfill, changing and challenging the "norms" on how industries view waste wood in their industries. We work with construction sites, manufacturing, packaging and domestic customers. Educating businesses and the public in circular economy and reuse.
Timber collected by us is reused to change lives, empower, and up-skill volunteers by reducing waste and benefiting the community. Any profits we generate directly benefit the people in West Yorkshire by enabling them to receive free training and employability opportunities.
Our collection service uses much less fuel than a skip lorry, reducing carbon and particulate emissions, and we ensure that as much as possible of what we collect is reused, not just downcycled into woodchip. Working with volunteers to push wood up the waste hierarchy circulating waste positively back into the community for DIY or garden projects, reducing the need for imported timber and the impact felling, processing and transport has associated with it.
Our Impact - Social good
We have worked with 100's of amazing volunteers, helping people upskill, connect and thrive into employment, or improve their well being through the empowerment of community.
To date we have:
Help us to stabilise our business, and allow us to return to being self sustainable by generating our own income, securing the jobs of our collections team.
We are offering pledge rewards! Limited quantities available
This project offers rewards in return for your donation.