RAW Workshop: the inspirational social business story working with Oxford North

Oxford North is proud to work with the inspirational social business RAW Workshop team to produce our bespoke table, shelves, workbenches and planters in our new on-site marketing suite. We have also purchased from RAW some reclaimed chairs and lockers.

As a result, Oxford North has logged:

<11 transport carbon miles from furniture manufacture to site.
> 87 hours of social impact.
+ Circular economy-sourced seating, lockers & storage.
= great looking and functional products, built to last.

James Wingfield, Woodworker and Machinist, RAW Workshop said: “I believe RAW has given me a chance to create and broaden my horizon on how things can be made. RAW is a family in itself really – we all get on. The family outside RAW are happy with what we do and what it stands for.”

Cameron Clarkson, Workshop Manager, RAW Workshop added: “RAW is dedicated to providing employment without the barriers. It doesn’t matter about people’s backgrounds. We look at people for who they are and where they want to be. This is how we should do business: social, local and with people in mind.”

Hazel Osborn, Head of Operations, RAW Workshop explained: “Every penny of profit that we generate goes into training adults and young people, so it supports the service that we do.

“We were approached by Oxford North who wanted to focus on the reclaim side and the sustainability side. So they worked with us to develop some products as well as purchasing some reclaimed chairs and locker type items. We have logged 35 social impact hours and we expect that to double by the time we deliver.”

Hot on the heels of publishing Oxford North’s Phase 1a Community Employment Plan, Tom Storey, Oxford North’s Social Value Consultant added: “Not only are they producing furniture but also have a massive social impact in the people they support. They are producing things that consumers want to buy. What RAW is manufacturing is not only a product but it’s a perspective, an ideal, that we can all aspire to.”

Big thank you to the RAW Workshop team for helping to make this film.

Watch our film here…