Travis Perkins and Briggs Equipment donate £20k van to Whizz-Kidz charity

Travis Perkins and Briggs Equipment have collaborated to provide a brand new van, worth £20,656, to Whizz-Kidz, a charity dedicated to improving the lives of children with disabilities. The van was handed over at Travis Perkins plc’s headquarters in Northampton, England.

Whizz-Kidz is a British national children's charity that provides wheelchairs and mobility equipment, along with life skills services, to youngsters with disabilities across the UK, giving them opportunities to develop their independence and confidence to help them reach their full potential.

The new van donated by Travis Perkins plc and Briggs Equipment, will enable the Whizz-Kidz team to deliver more specially-adapted wheelchairs to children with disabilities and their families. As a new addition to the existing fleet it will help the team to reach more children in more areas of the UK, providing them with the mobility equipment they need to enjoy full and active childhoods.

Travis Perkins Group Supply Chain and Group Commercial selected Whizz-Kidz as its charity partner for 2015 and 2016. To date colleagues have already raised £40,000 to transform the lives of children with disabilities, by taking on a variety of treks, cycling events and other challenges, as well as organising fundraising activities at work and in the community.

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As a loyal customer of Briggs Equipment for the past 16 years, Travis Perkins plc recently acquired its 1000th Yale forklift truck, which the company generously offered free of charge to mark the two companies’ longstanding business relationship. As a result of this, the two companies also agreed to partner in the donation of a vehicle, worth £20,656, to Whizz-Kidz.

Robin Proctor, Supply Chain Director, Travis Perkins plc, commented: “We have been working hard to raise money for Whizz-Kidz and to support the work they do, so donating this van, which will be used straight away to help improve the lives of disabled children, is a particular highlight of our partnership with the charity. We look forward to continuing to support Whizz-Kidz and have set a fundraising target of £200,000 to reach by the end of 2016.”

Richard Close, CEO of Briggs Equipment, said: “We enjoy a longstanding and highly successful materials handling partnership with Travis Perkins plc. Lending our support to the company’s fundraising for Whizz-Kidz will make a real difference to the lives of children with disabilities, and we believe it is a fitting way to commemorate the milestone 1000th Yale forklift and reinforce our mutually beneficial relationship with Travis Perkins plc.”

Matt Wynes, Head of Corporate Partnerships at Whizz-Kidz said: “We are incredibly grateful to Travis Perkins for this hugely generous gift. The new van will help us reach more children in more places, providing them with the life-changing mobility equipment they need to enjoy full, active childhoods and reach their true potential.”

Travis Perkins plc is one of the UK's leading suppliers of materials and professional services to the building and construction, and home improvement markets. The Group operates 19 businesses from almost 2,000 sites across the UK, and employs over 29,000 people. With a proud heritage that can be traced back over 200 years, our employees are continuing that tradition by working with our customers to build better, together. 

For more information, please visit www.travisperkinsplc.co.uk and http://www.briggsequipment.co.uk/forklift/Latest-News/