Subscribe

Tag: charity

Clark sends baby food to Ukraine

Posted on by David Priestman

In a joint aid campaign, Clark Material Handling International, Korea, Clark Material Handling Company, USA and Clark Europe, Germany donated baby food worth a total of €100,000 to Ukraine. This donation campaign was organised by the Korean parent company YoungAn and the Clark Europe headquarters in Duisburg. With this donation in kind, the Clark Family wants to ensure that the aid is not only quickly available on site, but also arrives where it is most urgently needed.

Clark Europe put together the relief supplies and organised the transport in cooperation with Rullko Großeinkauf GmbH & Co. KG, a wholesaler and food supplier for community catering and gastronomy based in Hamm. On 23 June 2022, a lorry with a total of 33 pallets of baby food – around 42,650 items – set off from Hamm for Slovakia. From there, the food was taken to Ukraine.

To ensure that this went smoothly, the Korean YoungAN established contact with the National Olympic Committee (NOC). The Slovak Olympic and Sports Committee, in cooperation with Malteser Hilfswerk, took care of the distribution of the relief supplies to the affected families in Ukraine.

Rolf Eiten, President & CEO Clark Europe, said: “The ongoing war in Ukraine is causing untold suffering for the local population. We at Clark are very happy to be able to make a contribution to supporting the Ukrainian families with our food donation. However, we would like nothing more urgently than to see a cessation of hostilities in Ukraine as soon as possible.”

 

 

Transaid puts the focus on public transport gender equality

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Transaid has completed a major three-year project helping to broaden the understanding of the challenges faced by young women and girls as users of public transport in less accessible parts of three major African cities. It also looked at the steps which could be taken to help improve their opportunities for work in what is a highly gendered transport environment.

Funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), and implemented jointly with Durham University, it saw research teams formed in Abuja, Nigeria; Cape Town, South Africa; and Tunis, Tunisia.

These teams then engaged with female commuters to gather detailed information on the challenges faced when accessing public transport. In all three countries this research proved crucial, leading to the development of safe transport charters around the primary forms of public transport in each city – including minibus taxis and commercial buses.

Edward O’Connor, Programmes Support Manager at Transaid, says: “We developed and rolled out a guiding document for transport associations and transport operators to address, with a gender lens, the challenges faced by female passengers.

“For example, in Cape Town, where minibus taxis are widely used, this took the form of a concise guide which outlined commuter rights, the responsibilities of transport associations, and included contact numbers for reporting complaints, particularly in relation to gender-based violence. This was done in combination with gender-based violence awareness and sensitisation sessions which we carried out directly with male drivers on taxi ranks in the city periphery.”

The other focus of the project was around implementing skills training for women working in the transport sector, largely developed using Transaid’s experience in implementing transport management systems. Due to Covid-19, this training for Tunis comprised a mixture of remote and in-person sessions, including guest speaker inputs from Peter Robinson, Director – Bus Development, at Go-Ahead, and Sara Youssoufi, Manager of Operations from ALSA (Morocco), a major passenger transport operator.

Explaining the importance of the training, O’Connor adds: “We know that if transport management generally improves, it can lead to improved maintenance and better operations. And if this can be achieved, then it can lead to a positive impact for the user’s experience – particularly with regards to safety.”

One female transport worker who took part in the workshops in Cape Town, commented afterwards: “As black women in the industry we are quite invisible, and it was nice to see women standing up and seeing how intelligent they are and how many ideas they have.”

Another, the daughter of a minibus taxi owner, said: “Before being involved in this project, I didn’t have an interest in the industry as it was always connected to violence, but now I feel a sense of cohesion and belonging.”

Transaid also worked with a local film crew to create a short film addressing women’s safety concerns when using motorcycle taxis. Developed in three languages, the 11-minute film equips passengers with the points to consider before choosing this form of public transport.

Caroline Barber, CEO of Transaid, says: “Women in many parts of Africa face real discrimination in the transport sector, both as passengers and as employees. This affects their wider access to work, education and training in every sector, making this one of the most important projects we’ve delivered in recent years.

“The timing of this work, starting just before the pandemic, really tested the agility of our team to deliver multiple practical interventions across different countries within a relatively short timeframe. Despite this, we’re really pleased with the progress we made and the many different groups and communities we were able to positively impact.”

This project was made possible with the support of local partners, including the Ministry of Transport, Al HOSN Energy Consulting, Sustain Consulting and Tounissiet in Tunis; Sokoto University, the University of Jos and Girls Voices Initiative in Nigeria; and the University of Cape Town, Sonke Gender Justice and the SANTACO in South Africa.

Transaid launches driver training project in Mozambique

Posted on by David Priestman

Transaid is preparing to support refresher training for at least 400 heavy goods vehicle drivers within small and medium-size enterprises (SME) in Mozambique, just a few months after securing a contract to extend its professional driver training work into yet another sub-Saharan country.

It follows a period of intense work by the Transaid team within the southern African nation, where it has been working to assess the supply and demand of local drivers and driver training. This has included developing a suite of demand-orientated road safety, defensive driving and soft skills courses to be offered by local driving schools and in-house trainers.

Transaid’s heavy involvement is part of an initiative led by GIZ Employment and Skills for Development in Africa (E4D), which is funded by the German government with support from the Norwegian government, Appload, and EnergyWorks.

Neil Rettie, Road Safety Project Manager at Transaid, explains: “HGV driver training is currently limited in Mozambique, and it raises concerns that drivers are not sufficiently trained for the demanding roles they undertake. This in turn puts both them and other road users at serious risk.”

Transaid’s brief is to train a minimum of 10 driving instructors from four to five training schools, who will then deliver training to at least 400 existing HGV drivers.

Rettie adds: “We are confident our proven ‘train the trainer’ model will help to deliver a sustainable change to driver training standards in Mozambique, just as it’s already doing in countries including Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia.

“This is a really important project for Transaid, as it directly supports our belief that drivers should be able to leave for a day’s work without the fear they may not come home because of a lack of training, or dangerous vehicles and roads.”

There are currently no standardised training materials for driving schools and other training providers in Mozambique, and training is largely aimed at fast acquisition of driving permits – rather than imparting high quality skills. As a result, many professional drivers depend largely on peer-to-peer or self-learning methods, and do not undergo structured and comprehensive practical and theoretical training.

This initial project to deliver training to at least 400 drivers is scheduled to be completed by July 2023.

 

 

Joan Aitken appointed Chair of Transaid

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Transaid has appointed former Traffic Commissioner for Scotland, Joan Aitken OBE FCILT, as Chair of its board of trustees. Joan has been a long-time supporter of the international development organisation and has taken part in two Transaid fundraising cycle challenges, visited projects in Uganda and Zambia, and been a trustee since March 2019.

She takes over from Jo Godsmark, Chief Operating Officer of BigChange, after six years as Chair and eight years on the board. During her tenure Transaid has significantly grown its programmes and fundraising income, and is currently involved in projects within nine countries across sub-Saharan Africa.

Joan was first introduced to Transaid at an industry event where Transaid was the beneficiary charity. Following conversations with the senior team, she jumped on her bike in 2017 and cycled with a team of 40 riders who collectively raised more than £200,000 during the Cycle South Africa fundraiser.

Commenting on her appointment, she says: “Transaid is the most incredible organisation and has earned a very special place in my heart. I’ve been privileged to have visited two projects in Zambia, one focused on access to healthcare and the other on road safety; plus I contributed to the driver training activities in Uganda, which cemented my understanding of Transaid’s life-saving work.

“To be appointed Chair is an honour and responsibility. I am excited by the opportunity to work even more closely with the wonderful Transaid team, which has demonstrated such incredible versatility during the challenges of the last two years.”

Jo, who will ride in Transaid’s Cycle Malawi event this October alongside Joan, says: “I’m hugely proud of what we have achieved as an organisation over the last six years, and particularly how we have increased the diversity of the board, with representation from countries where Transaid is working. When you have a team as highly regarded within the development sector as Transaid, being Chair is more of a privilege than anything else.

“This is a unique organisation and not one you can walk away from; I’m honoured to have been invited to join Transaid’s team of ambassadors and I couldn’t be handing over the reins as Chair to anyone better qualified than Joan.”

Joan is a Scottish solicitor by profession. She retired in 2019 after a varied career which ranged from local government, private practice, tribunal chairing, UK public appointments and the Senior Civil Service. In 2003 her long standing interest in the role of transport and her regulatory experience came together when she became one of the Traffic Commissioners for Great Britain as the Commissioner for Scotland. In 2019 she was awarded the OBE for services to transport in Scotland and for road safety.

She continues her involvement with transport through chairing the Glasgow City Region’s Bus Partnership Steering Group. She sits on the Scottish Board of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine and on the College’s Lay Group. Always one to volunteer, her current activities include being a simulated patient for Edinburgh’s School of Medicine, the virtuous activity of litter picking and learning to drive a canal barge.

She becomes the fourth industry figurehead to serve as Chair of Transaid. Prior to Jo, Graeme McFaull was Chair between 2010 and 2016, taking over from John Harvey CBE who had held the role since Transaid’s inception.

GS Yuasa provides schools with outdoor wear

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Pupils up and down the country were treated to a new set of outdoor clothing thanks to GS Yuasa and The Waterproof and Wellies Project after the leading battery manufacturer became an official donator to the newly founded campaign.

Set up by Gina Bradbury Fox and launched by TV presenter Gemma Hunt from CBeebies in March 2021, The Waterproof and Wellies project is part of The Outdoor Guide Foundation. It aims to raise £5m to provide ten sets of high-quality outdoors kit, consisting of a waterproof jacket, trousers and welly boots to every state primary school across the country over the next six years.

The idea behind the thoughtful initiative is to see children from all backgrounds getting outside and enjoying the natural wonders that are around them and enabling them to learn about and enjoy the outdoors.

The donation from GS Yuasa covered four schools across England. These included Harlow Green School in Gateshead, Wilburton Primary School in Cambridgeshire, St. Denys Infant School in Leicestershire, and Headfield Junior School in West Yorkshire.

Jon Pritchard, General Sales and Marketing Manager – Auto, MC and Ind Comp Division at GS Yuasa Battery Sales UK Ltd, said: “We’re delighted to offer our support to The Waterproofs and Wellies campaign. This fantastic initiative absolutely coincides with our values as a business and we are pleased that our support is helping to get children outside and develop their knowledge of the natural world around them.”

Gina Bradbury Fox, Managing Director of The Outdoor Guide Foundation added: “We can’t thank GS Yuasa enough for their generous contribution towards the project. Lack of access to weatherproof clothing is a real barrier for children engaging in outdoor learning. These kits allow children to jump in puddles, roll around in the mud and kick through leaves without messing up their school uniform.

“Having the support of a global business such as GS Yuasa means so much to us. They are a company willing to go the extra mile and help give back to the community. Without companies like them we wouldn’t be able to do what we do, so their incredible generosity is greatly appreciated.”

GS Yuasa is a leading battery manufacturer for vehicle and industrial batteries.

 

Freightline delivers essential items to Ukraine

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Eager to support the humanitarian crisis caused by the war, UK logistics expert Freightline has helped deliver a lorry full of essential items to people in Ukraine.

Working with its client Norgren, the Warwickshire-based logistics and freight company helped arrange and transport a 40ft trailer packed with supplies to Poland, destined for distribution to Ukraine through humanitarian supply routes.

“We wanted to do something to help Ukraine, so when our friends at Norgren approached us, we jumped at the chance, ” says Carl Tipping, Key Account Manager at Freightline. “Urgent and time-critical logistics is what we do best.”

Goods ranging from baby products such as nappies and wet wipes, to essentials like clothing and sleeping bags, and food including pasta and tinned fruit, were all collected and efficiently packed into 17 pallets by Freightline.

Accustomed to working around the clock to support their clients with end-to-end logistics, Tipping and his colleagues worked late into the evening to prepare the transportation.

The truck arrived in Poland just four days after the initial collection of products, due in part to Freightline being able to quickly process the necessary paperwork and customs documentation.

From Poland’s capital, the goods have subsequently been distributed by The Red Cross to civilians in need across Ukraine via humanitarian corridors.

“The items in the lorry are hopefully already making a difference to people and families living in the scariest of situations. Everyone in our team was so keen to help,” adds Tipping.

From its headquarters in the Midlands, Freightline provides logistics including warehousing, freight forwarding, road transportation and air freight across the UK and internationally.

In particular, it specialises in urgent and time-critical logistics, quickly getting goods to the places they are needed in Britain, Europe and beyond.

“Few things are as urgent as helping people in Ukraine who are seeing their homes destroyed and families threatened. I’m pleased we were able to use our know-how to arrange the transportation as swiftly as we did,” adds Tipping.

In addition to supporting the transportation of humanitarian relief to Ukraine, other members of the Freightline team have also been doing their bit to help too.

Team Leader Martina Cunderlikova recently visited her home country of Slovakia with money donated by her colleagues and others to help 200 Ukrainian refuges being welcomed to her home town of Banska Stiavnica.

“I think we all took inspiration from Martina and what the people of her home town are doing to open their homes to people in need,” concludes Tipping.

The funds raised by Cunderlikova have helped to provide food and supermarket vouchers for essentials items.

 

 

Transaid launches Hadrian’s Cycleway Challenge

Posted on by Keith McKinley

International development organisation Transaid is calling on cyclists from across the transport and logistics industry to saddle up for Hadrian’s Cycleway this Autumn, as it prepares for a team of up to 40 riders to tackle the 157-mile route across a stunning World Heritage Site.

The group will depart Whitehaven on 16 September and pedal to South Shields over two full days of cycling, with funds raised being used to support Transaid’s life-saving work in sub-Saharan Africa, where it is focused on improving road safety and increasing access to healthcare for rural communities.

Launching this latest UK challenge, Florence Bearman, Transaid’s Head of Fundraising, says: “Hadrian’s Cycleway is set to be one of the most stunning rides we’ve ever undertaken in the UK, with a chance to see the famous wall itself, along with Roman forts, museums, quaint villages and stunning market towns.

“As is customary with our challenges, it will also be a great opportunity to network with colleagues from across the industry, both during the ride and in a series of team meals – culminating in a celebratory dinner on the third and final night.”

The route comprises a mixture of on-road and traffic-free sections, running primarily on country lanes and quiet roads, interspersed with sections of traffic-free path, promenade and riverside path. As most of the route is either on minor roads or well surfaced off-road tracks most bikes are suitable, although full slick or racing bike tyres are best avoided.

Bearman adds: “If you’ve always wanted to take on a coast-to-coast challenge, this ride should be perfect. It’s suitable for cyclists of all abilities, provided you are reasonably saddle fit and have completed some basic training.”

The coastal sections at either end of the route are relatively flat, and there are only a few steep, short hills in the central section. Riders will climb approximately 300m over 65 miles of cycling on the first day in the saddle, and 900m over 85 miles on the second day’s riding.

Transaid is welcoming entries from individuals and teams, with demand expected to be high. There is a registration fee of £99 with participants asked to raise a minimum sponsorship of £1,400 to take part.

The package includes three nights’ accommodation with meals, refreshment stops on riding days, luggage transfer and access to support vehicles along the route.

For more information about the challenge, and to sign up, please contact Florence Bearman on +44 (0)7875 284 211, or email florence@transaid.org.

Last September, a team of 30 riders completed the 170-mile ‘Way of the Roses’ challenge with Transaid, cycling from Morecambe to Bridlington, raising more than £45,000 in the process.

 

Transaid project in Madagascar leaves lasting legacy

Posted on by Keith McKinley

More than 100,000 emergency transfers were made to rural health facilities over a five-year period in Madagascar, according to data compiled from one of Transaid’s longest-running access to healthcare initiatives, focused on maternal and child health.

Publication of the figures follows the conclusion of a USAID-funded project, known locally as MAHEFA Miaraka, led by JSI Research & Training Institute, Inc., and in partnership with others including Transaid, local NGOs and in close collaboration with the Ministry of Public Health.

Working in areas of the country where the availability of transport is often low, and where difficult terrain and seasonal rainfall often limit access by motorised vehicles, Transaid supported communities to integrate locally available modes of transport to connect themselves to primary healthcare facilities or referral hospitals.

This work contributed to 106,851 transfers to health facilities taking place during the project, utilising taxi cooperatives with minibuses and motorised three-wheelers, ox carts, rickshaws, bicycle ambulances, stretchers and even canoe ambulances, amongst other forms of emergency evacuation.

Caroline Barber, Chief Executive of Transaid, says: “Delays in seeking access to quality care are a key contributor to maternal and under-five mortality, with inadequate access to transport being a major cause. This project set out to address that, working in some of the hardest to reach parts of Madagascar, where we saw the number of patients accessing the scheme grow consistently year-on-year.”

Forty-four per cent of the communities Transaid helped were inaccessible by car or truck for at least four months of the year, and 20% for almost half of the year. This made it an incredibly complex project to manage, requiring a blend of community-managed forms of transport, taxi drivers trained in emergency transport systems, plus evacuation plans developed with communities and village leaders.

Barber adds: “The communities we were supporting have spoken highly of the improved access to healthcare in emergencies, especially the means to travel at night, when there are generally far fewer transport options available.”

Transaid’s role within the project also included the setting up of several ‘enterprise box’ (eBox) initiatives, which aimed to improve community health volunteer mobility and increase motivation and retention through the provision of bicycles and income generation which also contributed financially to local health insurance schemes.

Five eBoxes were established, each becoming a bicycle sale and repair micro-enterprise managed by registered cooperatives to help meet some of the transportation needs of the local population. At the end of the project, four of the eBoxes were considered independently operational, leaving a lasting enterprise which can continue supporting the local community.

The completion of the project, Transaid’s second in Madagascar in succession, draws to a close a decade of work within the country – and one of the organisation’s longest running and most successful projects to-date.

 

ek robotics donates laptops to local school

Posted on by David Priestman

ek robotics has continued its support of the local Royal Latin School by donating 10 Chromebook laptops to support students with their learning and education.

Based in Buckingham, UK just a stone’s throw from the Royal Latin School, ek robotics previously made a significant donation to the school to get the ek robotics Sports Campus project over the line.

ek robotics has also made funds available to set up a robotics club at the school to further enhance learning developments in this area.

Mike Burke, Operations Director at ek robotics, said: “Our business is heavily focused on innovative uses of technology – bringing technological solutions to production and warehouse logistics around the world, so this donation seems very fitting to our core values and assists us with our objective to support and nurture the future workforce.”

David Hudson, Headteacher of the Royal Latin School, discussed the impact of the Chromebooks in classrooms: “The introduction of Chromebooks throughout the school has been of great benefit to student-teacher communication in terms of learning, especially during lockdown, as well as embedding innovative ways of teaching and learning in the classroom.

“Nearly all year groups now have access to a device in school and this generous donation will help us ensure we can loan out devices at short notice to provide support for students in need.”

ek robotics is a family-owned and -run business that specialises in Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs).

 

Transaid releases additional places for Cycle Malawi 2022

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Transaid has released nine places on its highly sought-after Cycle Malawi 2022 challenge, which will take place from 1 – 9 October, and is inviting riders from across the transport and logistics industry to register their interest quickly, to avoid disappointment.

Those signing up will join a group of 36 cyclists already confirmed for the event, which was sadly postponed in 2020.

The epic two-wheel adventure will take cyclists across the country commonly known as the ‘Warm Heart of Africa’, thanks to the kindness and friendliness of its people. It will mark the international development organisation’s 10th African cycle challenge and includes five days of riding – plus the ultimate opportunity to discover Malawi away from the tourist trail.

Florence Bearman, Transaid’s Head of Fundraising, explains: “Moving the dates meant some of the original group are unable to take part, so we’re opening those places and expecting demand to be very strong. After two years of limited travel for many, we believe the attraction of cycling through rural Africa is going to be huge!”

Helen Tattersall, Head of Vehicle Accessories for Brand Licensing at Michelin Lifestyle, says: “I signed up with a group of colleagues back in 2019, and I wouldn’t miss it for the world. We’ve got unfinished business in Malawi, and we can’t wait to get on our bikes. It’s going to be a fantastic opportunity to be part of something really special, with teams from across the industry coming together to raise vital funding for a very special charity.”

Over the years Transaid has delivered both access to healthcare and professional driver training programmes in Malawi, the most recent of these involving bicycle ambulances as a simple, yet highly effective, lifesaving mode of transport.

Bearman adds: “So far as New Year’s resolutions go, committing to get bike-fit is a great place to start! Southern Malawi is a truly spectacular location; and this is going to be a once in a lifetime opportunity to see great swathes of the country from the saddle.”

Riders will cover an average of 60 miles per day and the route is graded as challenging. The penultimate day’s riding includes an afternoon tackling the Zomba Plateau, a stunning table-like mountain which soars to more than 2,080m and presides over the surrounding area.

To register your interest in a place on the challenge, or to request a registration pack, please contact Florence Bearman, Transaid Head of Fundraising by email to florence@transaid.org

Those signing up for a place on Cycle Malawi 2022 will be asked to pay a £349 registration fee, and to commit to raising a minimum of £3,800 for Transaid. Entries are welcomed from both individuals and teams.

Subscribe

Get notified about New Episodes of our Podcast, New Magazine Issues and stay updated with our Weekly Newsletter.