Following National Tyres and Autocare’s initiative in the month of March to raise funds for Maggie’s Cancer Caring Centres, representatives from the company pledged £25,000 to a Glasgow Maggie’s centre. The money was raised at National Tyres outlets; during the March initiative customers were asked if they would donate £1 when making a purchase. To date, National Tyres has raised over £200,000 to help cancer suffers over the years.
Cooper Tire & Rubber Europe has announced that it is supporting one of the UK’s largest off-road charity events this year as 4×4 enthusiasts aim to raise more than £100,000 for Macmillan Cancer Support. The “Mac 4×4” takes place from 7-9 March and challenges off-roaders from around the UK to take on a 1000-mile trek across some of the country’s most challenging and breathtaking terrain. The 2007 event raised an incredible £108,000 for Macmillan Cancer Support and this year, with the 60 entries filled within just 10 days, organisers are aiming to raise even more.
Carl Liversage, from Hampshire, and Nick Gage, from Surrey, opted to use Cooper’s Discoverer STT tyres for their Mitsubishi Pajero, thanks to the rubber’s reputation for tackling off-road courses with ease. Cooper will supply the rubber for free with Merityre, fitting them free of charge. “This event means a lot to people who take part, as they or someone they know has been affected by cancer,” said Liversage, who names his 4 x 4 “LePaj” and uses it as a family vehicle when not off-roading.
SEMA has established the SEMA Cares Committee, charged with identifying and creating additional opportunities for its members to enrich the lives of children nationwide. “SEMA members have a long history of giving back to our communities by assisting children and families who require a helping hand,” said Joel Ayres, who will be serving as the SEMA Cares Committee Chairman. “The SEMA Cares Committee will allow us to be even more effective, as we work as a collective group and pool our resources.”
Among the goals of the SEMA Cares Committee will be to establish an even higher goal of charitable activity by creating new opportunities for SEMA members to give back through more events and to identify new charities to support. (Tire Review/Akron)
Bridgestone has donated a consignment of tyres to Mercy Ships, the international charity operating hospital ships that provide health care in some of the world’s poorest countries. A selection of Bridgestone’s rugged 4×4 Dueller tyres have been supplied, and these will see use on vehicles that travel into remote areas of the bush, across difficult terrain and dirt tracks to reach sick people that otherwise could not be treated.
For Des Collins, vice president Public Relations, Bridgestone Europe, this donation makes sense in several ways: “Bridgestone has a sister company in Liberia, Firestone Natural Rubber Company, which employs more than 6,000 people in the production of natural rubber. As a part of its commitment to employees and their families in Liberia, Firestone operates its own schools and hospitals there, and consequently knows well the local need for health care. Therefore, Bridgestone was attracted to helping Mercy Ships in their efforts in West Africa and we are confident that the Dueller 4×4 tyres will help them in their great work.”
One in ten people who drive for work have admitted falling asleep at the wheel in the past year, according to new research by road safety charity Brake and Green Flag. The shocking figure is more than twice as high as the number of drivers who don’t drive for work but who say they have fallen asleep in the past year, which is still an alarmingly high one in 25 drivers. Nodding off for just a second or two at the wheel can kill: travelling at 60mph on a motorway (one of the main types of road where fatigue commonly occurs), a driver covers 27 metres (88 feet) per second.
One of the main causes of nodding off at the wheel is insufficient sleep the night before. The research has found that people who drive for work are more likely to drive after insufficient sleep. Half of the people who drive for work who were surveyed say they sometimes drive after less than five hours’ sleep, compared to just over a third (35 per cent) of people who drive only outside work. Research shows that if you drive after less than five hours’ sleep, you have just a one in ten chance of staying fully awake on a lengthy journey.
Motorists in the Lancashire town of Skelmersdale claim that the large number of roundabouts in the town is the cause of premature tyre wear, which is both expensive and potentially dangerous. Apparently, Skelmersdale boasts more than 40 roundabouts, including Half Mile Island, which is said to be the biggest in the world and taxi drivers and tyre fitters have reported extremely high rates of tyre wear. Said John Kieran, of Skelmersdale Express Tyres: “All the cabbies constantly have to have their tyres turned around because they wear out so quickly, especially on the outside of the passenger side”.
Cabbie Steven Crawley reckons the roundabouts in Skelmersdale wear his tyres down so much he gets through about six sets a year. He said: “My tyres only last about two months at the most and I have to turn them around every six weeks”. So widespread is the problem that it has been given the name of the “Skem Rash”.
Bridgestone’s subsidiary in the African nation of Liberia, Firestone Natural Rubber Company, LLC, has announced that its cargo donation program will be extended throughout 2008. The program, which began in 2006 with the aim of helping to rebuild the civil war ravaged West African country, provides space for relief goods and other donated cargo from aid organisations on ships operated by Firestone Liberia. To date more than 30 aid organisations have signed up to ship donated goods – including medicine, vitamins, food, generators and building materials.
Staff from Hankook Tyre UK’s premises in Daventry were on hand to give charity cyclist Gary Williams a big send off as he heads to Kenya for a 400km charity cycle ride. Williams is making the trip to raise money for Transaid – a charity committed to making transport systems more affordable, available and efficient in developing countries, and the 55 year old joins a number of cyclists from the UK for the journey, including Radio 2’s Sally ‘traffic’ Boazman. The charity ride gets underway in Nairobi on Saturday November 10 before heading through Rift Valley to Kisumu in an event set to raise thousands of pounds for the charity.
Northern Ireland’s largest independent tyre retailer, Modern Tyre Service, has held a press conference at Belfast Castle in which the company detailed its support for tyre safety month. Modern Tyre Service is offering motorists throughout Northern Ireland a tyre safety and pressure check completely free of charge at any of its depots from Monday 15th of October to Friday 26th October. In addition to this they will be carrying out supermarket checks at Quays Shopping centre in Newry on Monday 22nd, Sprucefield Shopping Centre in Lisburn on Wednesday 24th and at the new ASDA store in Enniskillen on Friday the 26th.
As well as having the piece of mind of getting a free tyre inspection, Modern Tyre Service will donate £1.00 for every tyre check carried out to Cancer Research as October is also Breast Cancer Awareness month. Participants will be entered into a super free prize draw with the opportunity to win some Bridgestone Merchandise.
BEN, the Automotive Industry Charity, will be holding a private Evening Reception, at St James’s Palace, on Wednesday 14 November from 6.30pm-8.30pm. Gerard Barclay, chief executive at BEN said, “BEN has been privileged over the past 40 years to have Princess Alexandra as its patron and we are delighted that Her Royal Highness is be able to celebrate this auspicious occasion with us”.
Champagne and canapés will be served in the magnificent Queen Anne Room and guests will have the unique opportunity to tour the State Apartments.
Built largely between 1531 and 1535, St James’s Palace was a residence of kings and queens of England for over 300 years. It remains the official residence of the Sovereign, although, since the accession of Queen Victoria in 1837, the Sovereign has lived at Buckingham Palace. The Palace was built by Henry VIII on the site of the Hospital of St James, Westminster. Much survives of the red-brick building erected by Henry VIII, including the Chapel Royal, the gatehouse, some turrets and two surviving Tudor rooms in the State Apartments.
Fifty-five-year-old Gary Williams, from Broughton Hackett, near Worcester, is preparing to travel 400km (248 miles) across Kenya in the Transaid cycle ride, which begins in Nairobi on Saturday, November 10. With the help of local companies, including Hankook Tyres, he is hoping to raise thousands of pounds to help improve people’s quality of life.
Hankook is switching its attention to cycling this winter with the launch of plans to support transport charity Transaid in a 400 km charity cycle ride across Kenya. The tyremaker has pledged its support by becoming key sponsor for Gary Williams, a 55 year old former tyre fitter who is now on the board of Transaid and works for Direct Tyre Management.
Gary said he was looking forward to the fundraising effort. “This is a huge challenge for me but such a worthwhile cause,’’ he said, adding that he is already in training for the cycle ride. “At the moment I’m cycling 20 miles at a time and just thinking about the amazing views across Rift Valley and Lake Victoria.’’
Hankook’s UK commercial sales manager Barrie Horrocks said he was delighted that the company was part of this fundraising event that will help people in Africa benefit from safe, affordable and efficient transport. “As a global company Hankook is involved in transportation around the world and to be participating in such a prestigious and worthwhile event is ideal for us,’’ said Barrie. “We fully support this initiative.”
The Walkinshaw name will need little introduction to any motorsport fan. Tom Walkinshaw has had a glittering career in saloon, touring and sports car racing as both a driver and constructor. Now it’s the turn of son, Fergus Walkinshaw to take the motorsport limelight. The 16 year old is already enjoying a competitive season in the Ginetta Junior racing series, but as part of his driver training recently spent a day with stunt legend Terry Grant learning the art of car-control in a Toyo T-1R equipped Westfield.
(Akron/Tire Review) Yokohama Rubber Co. donated more than 1 million yen to the World Wild Fund for Nature Japan, an amount matching the total of admissions paid by visitors to LIVE ecoMOTION, a charity music event held on July 29 in Shibuya and contributions collected at the event.
Yokohama has been a corporate sponsor of WWF Japan since October 2006.
The Yokohama-sponsored LIVE ecoMOTION communicated the importance of preventing global warming, the company said, and attracted some 1,700 visitors.
Sally ‘Traffic’ Boazman, BBC Radio 2 presenter, and 25 enthusiastic cyclists have signed up for Transaid’s latest fundraiser, Cycle Kenya, to make transport for life a reality in Africa, with the opportunity for five more people to join them. Cycle Kenya will see the Transaid group cycle over 400km across Kenya’s stunning Rift Valley from 10-19 November, and hopes to raise £70,000 to help people in the developing world benefit from safe, affordable and efficient transport.
“Transaid is a great charity and I’m glad to offer my support. Good transport is something most of us take for granted but in Africa lack of it can often mean life or death. Transaid is working with governments to address these issues and to highlight the fact that transport management is often the missing link to sustainable development,” says Sally Boazman.
With three months to go, places on the expedition are limited. Participants will be required to pay a registration fee of £299 plus commit to raising a minimum of £2,750 in sponsorship, 80 per cent of which must be with Transaid by the end of August. This covers the air fare and most ground costs. Several companies are already sponsoring their employees to the tune of £3,000 to participate and Transaid is appealing to others who may wish to do the same.
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