From right: Sergeant Peter Gilkes discusses some of the remarkable characteristics of a recently completed coffee table made from old shipping pallets with his colleagues. The furniture is a part of the refurbishing exercise in the mess room area of the Barbados Defence Force (BDF).
From ‘Dump to Table’
Those discarded shipping pallets along the roadside can be transformed into stylish furniture and the Barbados Defence Force (BDF) has shown that it is not only possible, but cost-effective.
Yesterday, the Barbados Advocate visited the BDF base to witness the military officials at work as they dismantled donated shipping pallets to create high-quality lounge tables, coffee chairs, and side tables. The project, which is called “Dump to Table” is a part of the refurbishment exercise in BDF’s mess room area. Some of the materials from the shipping pallets are being used to spruce up a lounge area, which will be known as “Laddie’s Bar”.
BDF’s Sergeant Peter Gilkes explained that the project, which was started just before the pandemic, will be completed in time for Christmas. He added that the officers took a break due to the COVID-19 measures, but at this moment the project is 95 per cent completed.
The initiative used about 150 shipping pallets. Some of them were donated by Mr. Skeete of the Barbados Light & Power Company (BL&P). These pallets were available due the shipment of equipment for the BL&P’s work in St. Lucy.
The team of artisans who created the furniture included Leading Seaman Kindo Clarke, Ordinary Seaman Shane Coulthrust, Private Adrian Worrell, and Private Saheka Duke. Sergeant Gilkes noted that it did not take too long to complete the pieces of furniture. He pointed out a beautifully polished coffee table which was completed in about two days.