Volunteers
As a Social Enterprise, Bristol Wood Recycling Project works alongside volunteers from many backgrounds, by offering an inclusive and informative workplace where individuals can give their time in order to better their personal situation.
Why we work with volunteers
It’s good for the project as a whole.
We are dependent on the goodwill of volunteers to assist us with our eternal work of collecting, disposing, de-nailing, and transforming of waste wood in to a valuable resource. Volunteers keep the project full of new ideas and energy.
It’s good for our volunteers.
As part of its greater purpose Bristol Wood Recycling Project aims to enable social inclusion and learning through volunteering and work placement opportunities.
We aim to be an inclusive and informative workplace where people can gain some wood working skills, be part of a team, increase their confidence, get work experience, fill their spare time, and do something worthwhile.
Bristol Wood Recycling Project aims to enable social inclusion and learning through volunteering and work placement opportunities. We are dependent on the goodwill of volunteers from many varied backgrounds to assist us with our eternal work of collecting, disposing, de-nailing and transforming of waste wood in to a valuable resource.
Each day we take a maximum of four volunteers to assist in our operations. We aim to offer a comfortable, inclusive and sociable environment in order that those volunteers can gain the maximum from their visit here.
Bristol Wood Recycling Project offers an informal yet structured learning programme to those volunteers who want to, so they can acquire the skills and confidence to get back in to work. Please click for details of volunteering here
Bristol Wood Recycling Project is also a members organisation. We ask committed volunteers to join BWRP as Members to assist in the running and strategy of the organisation (, attending regular meetings, agreeing on budgets and voting on new Management Committee members). Through this inclusivity, we wish to create a transparent, participatory and democratic forum for those who give their time to the project, further reflecting our ideals as a not for profit social enterprise.
Please click here for further details of becoming a member of Bristol Wood Recycling Project
(To become a member of Bristol Wood Recycling Project, you need to volunteer here. Initially you will be a Probationary Member, until you have given ten full days to the Project, at which point you can become a Full Member. Sometimes we ask for an individual to become an Advisory Volunteer Member, without doing the full ten days of volunteering, if they have particular skills or expertise that will benefit the organisation. )
Interested in volunteering?
FAQs
What will I be doing?
A good introduction to wood recycling is denailing and site work, you get to know the other people here and the everyday routine of the site.
You can learn how we grade timber for re-use or recycling, what different types of timber there are and their uses.
Going out on collections as a driver’s mate is often interesting and fun. This involves helping load and unload the van, helping navigate around Bristol, helping the driver manoeuvre, and learning about health and safety in vehicles. It involves a lot of heavy lifting and gets you fit!
What will I learn?
The most common request from customers is for wood to be cut to size and cleaned up, you can help with this: We usually start you off sanding, once you’ve got the hang of that we could then train you to use other tools.
There always customers wanting other things done and our site always needs maintenance which you can help with.
We try to make sure that everyone does a bit of everything.
Can I get more involved in the Project?
Yes, anyone who has volunteered for the project for 10 full days can become a Member. This means you can come to the Quarterly Members Meetings, and be involved in the way the business is run.
You can vote on important decisions and join in discussions about what the project does to fulfil its objectives. This involves attending regular meetings, agreeing on budgets and voting on new Management Committee members.
Our aim is to create a transparent, participatory and democratic forum for those who give their time to the project.
Please click [here] (PDF: explanation of membership) (PDF: Membership process) (PDF: Members Job Description) for further details of becoming a member.
Sometimes we ask for an individual to become an Advisory Volunteer Member, without doing the full ten days of volunteering, if they have particular skills or expertise that will benefit the organisation.
What is the working day?
9:00am sharp, until 5:00pm.
We break for lunch at about 1pm. If you are doing a full day we will provide your lunch & reimburse your travel costs. We have breaks in the mid morning and afternoon at about 11am and 3pm and plenty of tea!
When can I come in?
We usually have space for 4 volunteers a day, to keep the site safe and make sure there’s enough tools and work for everyone. You can come in for a maximum of two days a week. They don’t have to be regular days so you can make your volunteering fit around you.
Who will I be working with?
There are usually about 10 volunteers from all walks of life who work here over the course of a week, so there are plenty of people to meet.
There are six permanent staff members at BWRP and you’ll get to know them too.
What next?
Give us a ring on 0117 972 3219, and we’ll arrange for you to visit us.
We’ll show you around and have a chat and then, if you are still interested, you’ll fill in a form and we’ll arrange for you to come in for your first day at work.
On your first day we’ll go through some training with you & then you’ll start!
For a volunteer’s Job Description please click here