Category: Corporate members

A forklift donated by Cat® Lift Trucks and delivered by Impact to support the work of Industrial Training Centre (ITC), a partner of Transaid, in Zambia has already helped 80 people qualify as forklift truck operators.

The three-tonne DP30N machine was specially tailored by Impact to protect it against dusty environments before it was gifted to the Professional Driver Training Project, which works to provide UK-standard training in Africa.

Forklift Truck Trainer Grieves Kachingwe said “The generous donation from Impact means we are able to train a greater number of operators, and give them more in-depth knowledge of operating forklift trucks. Once they qualify as trainers, they will be able to pass that knowledge on to their students, so it really is an invaluable gift.”

Kachingwe, who is based at the ITC, has first-hand knowledge of the project’s importance, having completed Transaid’s training programme in 2010.

He said: “Transaid’s Professional Driver Training Project has helped me to develop a worthwhile and rewarding career. It’s satisfying to be able to share the knowledge I’ve gained over the years and ensure students can operate machines efficiently and safely.”

Since entering service in January, the forklift truck has supported the training of 80 students.

In addition to donating the DP30N, Impact’s lead forklift truck instructor, Mark Prickett spent a week in Zambia training ITC staff in correct maintenance procedures. Impact’s partner, First Industrial Tyres – a specialist in industrial fitments – has also donated a new set of tyres for the forklift truck.

Impact has provided corporate support to Transaid since January 2015, including annual financial support which contributes to the testing and implementation of new ideas and pilot projects. Impact has also raised awareness of Transaid’s work among its staff, as well as donating employee time and equipment.

Transaid aims to raise the quality of life for people in the economically developing world by improving or implementing local transport systems, providing comprehensive HGV, PSV and forklift truck operator training, and promoting road safety awareness.

For more information about Impact visit www.impact-handling.com

 

 

The 2016 Transaid Christmas Appeal has launched with a £25,000 fundraising target. All money raised from the campaign will help Transaid continue to transform lives through safe, available, and sustainable transport.

Gary Forster, Chief Executive of Transaid says: “Raising £25,000 is an ambitious target, but I am confident that our supporters in the transport and logistics industry can help us beat this goal and finish yet another successful year on a high note.”

This year, Transaid has four new e-card designs which highlight the importance of our work while spreading Christmas cheer. Lynn Parnell, Owner of Logistics Partners – a long-standing corporate supporter of Transaid – says: “Sending one of Transaid’s festive e-cards to friends, family and colleagues is a fantastic way to show support for Transaid’s vital work. We’ve taken part in Transaid’s Christmas campaign for many years and it never fails to start a conversation about how the organisation is helping to change lives.”

Peter Acton, Chairman and Chief Executive, Logistics Leaders Network, also urges supporters to get involved. He says: “I am proud to have been there at the start and involved ever since in some capacity. I urge all professionals and suppliers to the industry to get involved in Transaid projects. They are really making a difference to people’s lives in Africa.”

Transaid is encouraging the transport industry to dig deep and help transform lives by selecting one of three packages: gold, silver and bronze. For £800 the gold package includes a personalised e-card, social media mentions, and logo placement on Transaid’s website and in special Christmas advertisements to be carried in Coach & Bus Week, Motor Transport and SHD Logistics*. A donation of £550 secures the silver package, consisting of logo placement in the Christmas advertisements, on the Transaid website and social media mentions; while £350 buys bronze, with an e-card and logo placement on Transaid’s website.

Despite having only just launching the campaign, support has already been confirmed from companies including Bandvulc Tyres, Bibby Distribution, BIFA, Century Logistics, CILT,  Clipper Logistics, DAF Trucks, Delamode, Europa Worldwide, FSDF, FTA, Go-Ahead Group, Goodyear, Hörmann (UK), Howard Tenens, Iveco, KNAPP UK, Knights of Old, Logistics Partners, MAN Truck & Bus, Mercedes-Benz, Narrow Aisle Limited, OEM Group, PF Whitehead Transport Services, Paul Ponsonby, Prolog, Pullman Fleet Services, Renault Truck, Volvo Group UK, Woodland Group, XPO Logistics and Yara International ASA.

For more information, or to make a corporate donation, contact Jade Ashby on 020 7387 8136 or email jade@transaid.org. You can also donate online here

*To guarantee inclusion, logos must be received by the following deadlines: 14 November for SHD Logistics, 3 December for Coach & Bus Week and 6 December for Motor Transport.

 

“Last November Josephine had just collected a pregnant woman to transfer to the health facility when she encountered a second woman, also in labour, and struggling to walk to the same medical centre. Josephine moved the first woman to the rear of the bicycle and placed the second woman – whose condition was more serious – on the stretcher. She then cycled the remaining two hours to the health facility unaided, saving all four lives.”

Addressing 100 corporate supporters, Chief Executive Gary Forster told Josephine’s story as an example of Transaid’s life-saving work at our annual HRH showcase event on 21 October, held at the London offices of law firm Eversheds.

Josephine Mupeta from Zambia is a volunteer health worker, who rides a bicycle ambulance placed in her community as part of a Transaid maternal health programme. She is just one example of how our bicycle ambulance projects have empowered local communities to do more. A team of 200 trained bicycle ambulance riders transferred 4,105 mothers to health facilities in the first two years of the project.

Gary said: “We are hugely grateful to the transport industry for funding the original research which led to the introduction of bicycle ambulances and we thank Comic Relief for financing the scale-up of this programme, which allows us to work with partners in-country to continue saving lives.”

Transaid’s Patron The Princess Royal praised both the fundraising support and access to skills that Transaid receives from the transport and logistics industry. Commenting on the professional driver training projects, she said: “Your support is vital to our ability to help the local partners we work with, as well as to inspire professionals on the ground. Our ability to improve road safety through the proper training of trainers means we can make a huge impact.”

Visitors to the showcase also heard first-hand accounts of Transaid’s work from Silvio Sorrentino, Operations Manager for ALSA (part of National Express Group), who spent three months managing a professional driver training scheme for truck and bus drivers in Malawi. Silvio was joined by Dr Yvette Ribaira, Deputy Chief of Party for the new USAID Community Capacity for Health programme in Madagascar . Dr Ribaira is employed by JSI Research & Training Institute, Inc. (JSI) and is a medical doctor with a master’s degree in public health, who has dedicated nearly 20 years of her life to improving community health in Madagascar – in the last five years working closely with Transaid.

 

We have assembled the largest ever team of cyclists to take part in one of our fundraising challenges in Africa – with each of the 43 available bikes now assigned to a rider for Cycle South Africa 2017.

The event was an early ‘sell-out’ as there are still eight months to go before the team saddles up in Cape Town. A reserve list has been opened in case of any unavoidable drop-outs before next March, and to allow supporters to register for the next three-day European cycle event – to be launched this summer.

Aggie Krasnolucka-Hickman, Transaid’s Head of Marketing and Communications, says: “We have assembled a fantastic peloton of riders, made up of people from across the transport and logistics industry – including many new faces from our latest corporate supporters.

“The fact the event is graded as ‘challenging’ has inspired people to set themselves the goal, train hard and sign up early. We never expected to have 43 ‘bums on seats’ so early, though whether they will still be sitting down as they cross the finishing line is another matter! One thing we can be sure of is that they are going to raise vital funds for Transaid while exploring an amazing part of the world, and we are truly grateful for their commitment to Transaid.”

Cycle South Africa 2017 commences on 10 March and will give riders the opportunity to cycle through some of South Africa’s most spectacular scenery, covering 450km in five days from the Western Cape to Cape Agulhas – the southernmost tip of the African continent.

Participants pay a £299 registration fee and meet a minimum £3,500 sponsorship target, although many are eager to raise significantly more . Riders will represent companies including Clipper Logistics, DFDS Seaways DV, DHL, General Mills UK, H&R Gray Haulage, Hoyer Petrolog UK, Informa Exhibitions, Impact, Labyrinth Logistics Consulting, Lafarge Tarmac, LDH (La Doria) Ltd, Leapfrog Marketing, Michelin Tyre, Microlise, Potter Logistics, Renault Truck UK, RHA and Road Transport Media, Samworth Brothers Supply Chain, Stewart Oades Associates, ThoughtWorks, TRS Tyres, Yorkshire Bus and Coach Sale, Office of the Traffic Commissioners, Z-Tech Control Systems.

In coming weeks we will be launching its next European Ride – London to Paris Cycle Challenge, September 2017.