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Upcycled Timber Projects – Over the past two years we’ve recycled tonnes of timber from construction and rail projects back into the local communities to where we work. The timber has been used in all manner of projects big and small, helped educate the next generation of construction workers and more.

We’ve supplied timber and pallets to several local community gardens and allotments and one such project is forging ahead to meet the needs of the local community. Recycling timber in allotments is a practical and sustainable approach that aligns with our circular economy principles here at AW Group.

Instead of discarding this timber, allotment holders and community gardeners have repurposed them into raised beds, compost bins, tool/storage sheds, even fencing. And in this case an enclosure for some pigs based in a heavily urbanised location in Dover!

This not only reduces waste and the demand for new resources but also lowers costs for these organisations and minimises environmental impact. By taking part in this circular economy journey, materials (not just timber) are kept in use for as long as possible, extracting maximum value before they are considered too degraded for use.

Timber and other waste wood, being durable and biodegradable, is well-suited to this model. Reusing wooden pallets, scaffold boards, timber from strip out or temporary works projects, or even simple off-cuts prevents it from potentially ending up in landfill or sent for pulping for bio-mass fuel it also goes a long way to avoiding the carbon emissions associated with new timber production and transportation.

Even better, recycled materials in these settings can foster community engagement, as local groups collaborate to source, share, and creatively reuse materials. It encourages a mindset shift from consumption to conservation, promoting resilience and resourcefulness in urban gardening spaces. Feeding people, bringing communities together and creating green spaces for today and for tomorrow.

By integrating recycled timber into community organisations, schools, colleges, men’s sheds and the dozens of other people and organisations we interact with, we can help these communities take a small but meaningful step toward circular systems, where waste becomes a resource and sustainability is embedded in everyday actions. This approach not only benefits the environment but also builds stronger, more self-reliant local networks.

Our recycling initiatives gain more momentum with each passing week, with word-of -mouth amongst likeminded people ensuring that we have a healthy supply of organisations to donate these waste or surplus materials too, reducing our impact on the environment, but more importantly empowering others to do the same.

If you would like to know more about our recycling initiatives and how you can become part of it then please do get in touch, we are happy to come and give talks on what we do, the people that have benefited from it and how we’d like to see more waste from this industry put back into re-use within our local communities.

A small snapshot of our community projects can be found here along with details of how you can become our next upcycled timber project!

AW Group is a multi-disciplined construction company providing a broad range of support and manpower across building and rail projects.

Our Fields are:

AW Construction – We offer an outstanding UK-wide fit out service, taking care of everything from scheduling rollouts & ordering materials to assistance with design and onsite delivery

AW Rail – We use the very best labour force and a proactive approach to deliver first-class construction and maintenance projects across the rail industry

AW Labour – We provide a high-calibre blue collar and white-collar workforce with a diverse range of skills, to support the construction and rail industries