As a part of Supply Direct’s ongoing social responsibility policy, the company recently worked with the Romanian Challenge Appeal to install a range of garage equipment in the small town of Siret in Romania, just beside the Ukrainian border. Kwik Fit and Farmer Autocare founder Sir Tom Farmer was the driving force behind the initiative.
After 1674 miles and 10 days, and a detour to the Blue Peter studios, extreme charity fundraiser Lloyd Scott is set to become the first person to successfully drive from John O’Groats to Land’s End in a car running on flat tyres. The marathon drive for Goodyear’s RunOnFlat Rally included special sections on notorious roads, attempted on four completely deflated tyres.
Pulling into Aire Point, near Land’s End today, extreme charity fundraiser Lloyd, has drawn gasps and laughter from on-lookers with his special driving suit, a mixture of Mr Toad from Wind in the Willows fame and the notorious Dick Dastardly character from iconic cartoon Wacky Racers.
Goodyear has set eccentric British challenger Lloyd Scott, a new challenge – drive the length of the nation on flat tyres. Lloyd, 48, from Essex, who has previously cycled across Australia on a Penny Farthing bicycle and completed this year’s London Marathon in a full suit of armour, has agreed to take the wheel throughout May for Goodyear’s RunOnFlat Rally. The RunOnFlat Rally will see Lloyd drive the more than 1600 miles in distance across the British Isles, from John O’Groats, where he started yesterday, to Land’s End in a Mini with flat tyres.
GSF Car Parts has unveiled its new Newcastle-upon-Tyne branch, opened as part of the company’s 2006 expansion drive. The Newcastle branch opening is the second tier of the GSF Car Parts 2006 expansion programme, following on from the Canterbury opening, earlier this year.
GSF Car Parts will officially celebrate the opening of Newcastle’s doors on Saturday, 25 March with bubbles galore – but not of the champagne variety. Instead, the team at GSF Newcastle have organised a dedicated charity ‘Bubbles’ car wash to raise funds for the Newcastle charity, The Bubble Foundation which supports the children’s Bone Marrow Transplant Unit at Newcastle-upon-Tyne General Hospital. The unit treats babies and children with immuno deficiencies by bone marrow transplantation.
Mythos, the new Ultra High Performance tread pattern from Marangoni, has once again proved its performance attributes in a recent 24hr charity race for Telethon in Adria, Italy, with a wealth of high profile celebrity drivers. Mounted on all 26 participating race cars, Mythos performed at a consistently high level, confirming its outstanding sports performance and reliability under the most demanding conditions.
Joy Rainey is set to become the first driver to compete in a long distance rally in an LPG converted vehicle. Joy will be taking part in the South American Carrera Sudamerican Challenge in May. As a strong supporter of BEN, the Motor and Allied Trades Benevolent Fund, Joy asked that the charity’s logo be included on the livery of her vehicle to increase awareness of the Fund. Nicholson McLaren Engines has converted a Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland 4×4 to run on liquid petroleum gas. This will be the first vehicle to be competitively driven in a long distance rally using LPG.
Employees at Kwik-Fit Fleet’s St Albans headquarters raised more than £2,000 for BEN, the Motor and Allied Trades Benevolent Fund.
Kwik-Fit Group is currently in the process of refurbishing and modernising its 669 UK centres and the redeveloping its Fleet Service Call Centre. As a result, all of Kwik-Fit Fleet’s sales managers have new laptop computers, while office-based staff have new desktop computers. The computers had seen out their useful life in the business and rather than scrap them, staff agreed to make a donation to BEN.
Michelin has worked with transport and logistics charity Transaid to design a set of four exclusive charity pin badges featuring the Michelin Man character. The badges are available from ATS Euromaster service centres across the UK for a suggested donation of just £1 each. Those who donate to Transaid direct will also receive a badge as a thank you.
Over 250 people attended this year’s BRMA annual dinner raising £1540 for the designated charity; ‘Save the Children Fund’.
Preparations are now under way for 2006 and the ‘Motown’ themed event, which will take place on the 29 September.
Full details of sponsorship opportunities and the date when the tickets will be on sale will be announced in the near future.
Transport development charity Transaid is looking for individuals willing to bike 460 km across Malawi to raise £30,000 for charity. Bicycles have been chosen as they form one of the primary means of transport in the African country.
Team members will average 100 km per day and, to cover transport costs, will have to pay a registration fee of 299 Pounds Sterling and commit to raising a minimum of 2,750 Pounds in sponsorship. The ‘Blazing Saddles Cycle Malawi’ tour will take place in September 2006 and details can be found on www.transaid.org
It is with sadness that Tyres & Accessories learnt of the passing of Ian Palmer, advertising manager of Retreading Business. Ian died suddenly on 22 September, aged 58, while working with colleagues in Belgium. He leaves a son, Stuart, and a daughter, Louisa.
Six First Stop dealers joined forces with celebrities from the worlds of television and music recently to raise money for charity. Coronation Street stars Bill Ward and Tina O’Brien, who play Charlie Stubbs and Sarah-Louise Platt in the show, joined Girls Aloud singer Sarah Harding and the dealers on the Bridgestone stand at the Truckfest North West show at Haydock Park Racecourse, Merseyside.
Director of BRMA, John Dorken, successfully completed the trek he undertook in the High Andes to raise funds for the Medical Aid and Relief Charity for the Children of Chechnya. He raised £6000 and received some generous contributions from a number of companies including Michelin, Continental, Bridgestone and Pirelli.
Members of the NTDA’s Northern Ireland region are planning a charity “Tyre Push” to raise money for a Children’s Hospice and to increase awareness of the industry’s 3mm campaign.
The push will commence at Northwest Tyres in Londonderry on the 12th September and will conclude on the 12th November, taking in as many member depots as possible.
Small business employees across the country are being encouraged to nominate their boss as the most energetic in the country. Powergen’s ‘Britain’s Most Energetic Boss 2005’ is looking for bosses with positive energy, whose enthusiasm and commitment to their employees or community makes going to work fun and rewarding, not a chore. The search aims to reward the hard work and dedication of the bosses of the UK’s 3.7 million small businesses.Employees who nominate their boss at www.energeticboss.co.uk between 4 July and 12 August 2005 could win a case of champagne for themselves, and a well deserved break of a lifetime to New Zealand for their boss.
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