Three girls from Bournemouth-based Avonbourne School visited wood@aldingbourne last week as their prize for winning a national competition.
Social Firms UK ran the competition as part of Global Entrepreneurship Week. Avonbourne’s winning idea was to create a leisure/community centre for disabled soldiers returning from conflict which the judges thought was: "…really original, timely and full of potential for turning into a Social Firm."
The prize for the Year 10 students was a visit to Social Firm Wood@aldingbourne which supports adults with learning disabilities into employment. Their range of services includes a collection service, recycled timber, seasonal logs, recycled wooden products, recycled chip fat as fuel and commissions.
The girls were let loose with serious power tools and tasked to make a Disability Chopping Board which enables people to be safe when chopping vegetables using one hand. Stephanie said: “It’s great that people who have a learning difficulty are involved in such a worthwhile project… The products that are made here are all made from recycled wood and I am very proud to be a winner and have this opportunity to visit wood@aldingbourne. The centre provides such a positive social involvement and everyone, whatever their disability can contribute however large or small”
Photo: Barry Waddington, Wood Commissions Coordinator and (Right) John Groves, Wood Collections Coordinator remain calm whilst the three students, Emma Basket, Stephanie Freeman and Hannah Phillips, get to grips with their task.