Social enterprise’s appeal to replace stolen van

Leeds Wood Recycling’s van was stolen on Christmas Eve, de-stabilising income, pausing its environmental mission for reuse. An appeal has been launched ro set them back on track but only has six days to run. Armley resident Charlotte Stanley, who is also manager at Leeds Wood Recycling, details how you can help:

Leeds Wood Recycling is a social enterprise with an environmental and social mission. We have been running for six years, working hard collecting and repurposing waste timber otherwise destined for landfill across Yorkshire, “Doing social good, using your waste wood”. 

We employ 13 staff, and work with over 20 volunteers many of whom have been marginalised and had challenges in getting employment. On Christmas Eve one of our vans was stolen from a locked compound, it was a targeted and planned robbery.

The van was a key part of our livelihood, and purchased with a loan for £21000 two years ago. We are awaiting our insurance to payout for the loss of the van. But we know it will not cover the cost of getting a replacement caged van, and certainly won’t cover the lost revenue and staff costs in this period. We need help!

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, to date we have: 

• Run specialised work experience programs for adults with learning difficulties and disabilities 
• Worked with people suffering from isolation and loneliness offering free woodwork training classes
• Helped many young people get the much-needed work experience to get them into employment by offering free training, practical skills and work experience.  
• 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.
• 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.

The crowdfunder can be found here.

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