“I work hard at the Woodfuel Centre but I enjoy being there, and I’m learning new things all the time.”
The Woodfuel Centre gives individuals the opportunity to experience a real working environment in and around a factory producing kiln dried wood products from sustainable sources, which are then sold to the general public in Northumberland and Tyneside. It enables people to gain employment skills and work-related training by participating in all stages of the woodfuel production process, from log processing and operating machinery to packing and deliveries.
In our structured training programme individuals are taught all the skills they need, so no prior experience or knowledge is required to join in. Money raised from the sale of woodfuel is reinvested into further Blyth Star projects, so training at the Woodfuel Centre is a way for individuals to learn new skills and build confidence, and make a contribution to Blyth Star and its ongoing work supporting people with mental health issues and/or learning disabilities.
“The Woodfuel Centre provides a fantastic range of opportunities for our service users to learn new skills and put them to practical use in a sociable, real working environment.
“Although we are technically a small business, our service users come to us first and foremost to enjoy themselves, socialise and make friends while gaining hands-on experience and qualifications in all aspects of woodwork, including health and safety and machine handling.
“We support up to 40 service users a day across the woodfuel and woodwork departments where clients can express their creativity and learn joinery skills.
“I think the Woodfuel Centre is important because it helps to give our service users a sense of importance and a presence in the community. While out on deliveries, our service users get the chance to interact directly with customers which helps them to further develop their social skills and build their confidence.”
Find out more
To find out more about The Woodfuel Centre, including how to get a referral form, please contact:
Neil Hedley
01670 857 138
n.hedley@blythstar.org.uk
