‘We like to feel that we contribute to the needs of people leaving the forces’
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A MANUFACTURER of timber garden products has earned accreditation for its support of former Armed Forces personnel over the past six years.
Dunster House has had its silver award revalidated by the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme.
The company, based in Bedford, has always worked to provide support and opportunities to ex-forces and has employed many former Service leavers, Veterans and Reservists over the years. Currently four out of six of its Branch Managers are ex-forces who joined Dunster House after leaving service.
Managing director Chris Murphy said: “We are proud to be associated with the Armed Forces Covenant and the silver award. We like to feel that we support the Armed Forces Covenant and contribute to the needs of people leaving the forces and coming back into Civilian Street.”
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A former military man himself and a strong supporter of the Army values, Mr Murphy has also donated the 11-acre Penlan Farm near Bedford to the charity Woody’s Lodge, which offers support for veterans and emergency services leavers.
The charity uses the land for its Green Green Grass of Home project, which has been developed to organise outdoor activity programmes that can act as catalysts to improve family relationships and mental and physical health.
Dunster House, founded in 1994, has sites across the UK and factories in mainland Europe. It is the UK’s largest garden building company and among the largest climbing frame manufacturers in the country.
In 2013, Mr Murphy opened a new humanitarian department within Dunster House HQ, dedicated solely to finding solutions to humanitarian crisis using their expertise, resources and knowledge of design and manufacturing.
The company has become one of the leading manufacturers of sanitation equipment for national and international charities and is an official supplier to NGOs including Oxfam and Unicef.