Charitable company agrees deal with Blyth restaurant to supply fuel for wood-burning pizza oven

The Woodfuel Centre, run by Blyth Star Enterprises, provides a real workplace setting producing premium logs and kindling for wood-burning stoves, giving the people that work there valuable skills, training, and confidence.

It has agreed a deal to supply Porky’s BBQ restaurant in Bebside, Blyth, with up to half a tonne of air-dried logs per week to fuel its wood-fired pizza oven.

The funds this raises will be reinvested to directly benefit the charity and the individuals it supports.

Neil Hedley, manager at The Woodfuel Centre and day services operations manager at Blyth Star Enterprises, was “delighted” with the deal.

He said: “We love to support local businesses and our service users really enjoy getting out and about into the community to help make deliveries.

“When the call came in from the restaurant, they were in need of a delivery fast in order to support them with that evening’s dinner service.

“We invited the manager down to The Woodfuel Centre to show them our products and what we do. He loved it and we literally followed him back to the restaurant in the van to make the first delivery.

“We never imagined at that point that one phone call would turn into such a great working partnership, but we are thrilled to be on board.”

Armando Fernandes, manager at Porky’s, added: “I came across The Woodfuel Centre online while looking for a local supplier of logs after our usual supplier let us down.

“I had no idea until I visited the factory that the business was actually a charitable enterprise. I was really impressed.

“As a North East business, Porky’s likes to support fellow North East businesses. All of the ingredients for our food are sourced locally, we employ local people and of course, we like to give back to the community where we can too.

“For us, partnering with The Woodfuel Centre ticks a lot of boxes. We love the product, the customer service has been brilliant, and we love what the business stands for.”