With a proud 220-year history in the Kent construction industry, it’s essential that we maintain our regular engagement with our local community and we support our team to help others.
Members of our team volunteer to provide crucial emergency courier services for SERV Kent, also known as the Bloodrunners, transporting blood products, samples, and essential items for hospitals and hospices in Kent.
Within the business we see the impact of the construction industry’s skills shortage. Driven by this, we are passionate about engaging with local schools and colleges to promote careers in joinery. Through collaboration with the East Kent Business Partnership, our team participate in career days, conducting classroom lessons and sharing interview techniques to educate students about woodworking career paths.
Our Bramling Workshops are found in the countryside amidst an abundance of wildlife, so we are mindful of our impact on nature and what we need to do to help it thrive. We contribute to preserving local biodiversity by providing bee hotels, minimising our transport emissions and have installed a barn owl box to encourage nesting.
One local community project we’re particularly proud of is the our collaboration with DBSJ and Wingham Timber to design, build and donate an ice cream truck playhouse for The Firs nursery in Chartham.
Our apprentices worked incredibly hard to create something very special for The Firs, honing their bespoke joinery skills on this fun project. They crafted a full awning with serving counter, delivery window, decorative wheels and signage. The timber structure, made from a combination of different materials and off cuts, also boasts a spacious interior, perfect for creating and serving some delicious playtime treats.
Ross Parker, Denne Joinery’s Director, said: “We were looking to inspire all ages and show that our work doesn’t stop with schools and colleges. Joinery is more than a trade – it’s an art. We wanted to give the children a space where they can be creative and, who knows, maybe even inspire some of them to become a joiner in the future.
“It’s vital that we continue giving back to the community around us, and The Firs was the perfect opportunity to not only reduce waste and continue our mission of sustainability but also provide fun resources that children can enjoy for years to come.”
Find out more of our community projects at Denne Joinery’s Responsibility pages.
We joined forces with Wood Works to provide off-cuts for vital cause
In our mission to help the local community in any way we can, we’ve found the perfect home for our reusable wood off-cuts. Like every joinery workshop, we often have leftover or surplus materials that can be put to good use, and in our case, donated to a very worthwhile cause.
As part of our commitment to sustainability – and to charities close to our hearts – we’ve partnered with a local, not-for-profit organisation Wood Works, which runs wood crafting workshops for people with brain injuries, as well as their family and friends.
Passing on our passion for joinery
We’re always looking for new ways to encourage the next generation of joinery talent, not only through our apprenticeship programme but also through a schools outreach campaign.
In April 2025, we visited St Anselm School in Canterbury to introduce students to the craft. Through small group workshops and open conversations, students had the chance to get hands-on experience and build birdboxes. We shared how our apprenticeships provide real experience from day one, encouraging curiosity and inspiring them to learn more about joinery.
We were delighted to see how the students engaged with our session. 89% of all students who attended our workshop found it to be a ‘positive’ or ‘exceptional’ experience, with one student adding: “I enjoyed Denne Joinery the best. It was very interesting.”
It was a brilliant day filled with curiosity, enthusiasm and thoughtful questions. A big thank you to the school for having us, and to Invicta Tools and Fixings and James Latham for their support and materials.
This experience reinforced our commitment to bringing new opportunities for young people to discover the fascinating world of joinery.
Learn more about our apprenticeships at Denne Joinery’s apprenticeships page.
