One of his most recent contracts however, is to supply charcoal to the Poole-based natural cosmetics company, Lush, who use it in one of their new soap ranges which are sold around the world.

" Apparently it's very good for exfoliation," explains Jim, who has used the soap and assures me that It does get rid of the charcoal after a busy day's firing.

The distinctive brown bags with their black Dorset Charcoal Company logo
are also becoming a familiar sight around the county now, stacked outside garages, ironmongers ,and garden centres – indeed anywhere we once saw cheap, foreign imports. Jim has just been awarded the contract to supply Scatts Countrystores which is a very substantial order for a company with its head office currently set up in a small clearing in a wood above Turnworth.

When Jim set up the company he was producing 7.5 tonnes of charcoal a year- he is now producing 25 between February and October- when the weather is fit.