UK technology company BigChange has become international development organisation Transaid’s newest corporate member. It becomes the 35th company – ranging from vehicle manufacturers to some of the largest fleet operators – to commit to long-term support to the industry’s official charity.
BigChange hopes its wealth of industry knowledge and technical expertise will benefit Transaid’s life-saving programmes in sub-Saharan Africa; plus members of its team will have the opportunity to take part in fundraising initiatives.
Martin Port, CEO and Founder of BigChange, says: “Social responsibility is at the heart of our business and we are staunch believers that our small change should help to make a big change in the world we live in. As a fast-growing enterprise that has developed game changing technology for transport and service operators focused around health and safety and operational improvement, we see it as our duty to share our expertise and resources to help communities both near and far to live safely, healthily and sustainably.
“Our activities in road safety means that our relationship with Transaid stretches back over many years, and we’re delighted to be joining as an official corporate partner, supporting the essential work they do in giving communities access to vital healthcare and making roads a safer place in sub-Saharan Africa.”
Port will join a donor trip to Zambia in March 2018 to visit the Industrial Training Centre (ITC), which has been delivering professional driver training in partnership with Transaid since 2008. Donors will also visit the communities involved in the MAMaZ Against Malaria (MAM) project, where Transaid is one of several partners working to develop innovative approaches to improve severe malaria case management in rural and high-burden areas.
Commenting on the upcoming trip, he says: “I am personally looking forward to visiting Zambia, which will be an opportunity to meet the people on the ground who are delivering Transaid’s programmes and the communities whose futures are being transformed.”
BigChange showed great commitment to Transaid during 2017 through a number of donations and events, including bidding £13,000 as part of an auction for two industry expert ‘interns’ – former MAN CEO Des Evans and RHA Chief Executive Richard Burnett – to work for a day in the company. It also held a round table discussion for which £3,000 was donated to Transaid, and bought a bicycle ambulance at the Logistics Awards which went to the MAM project.
Caroline Barber, Chief Executive of Transaid, says: “We are incredibly grateful to BigChange for their generosity and dedication over the last 12 months. Welcoming them onboard as a corporate member was the natural next step and we are delighted to have their continued support.”
Leeds-based BigChange was established in 2013 and caters to businesses of all sizes with its all-in-one system for planning, managing, scheduling and tracking the mobile workforce and transport operations.
For more information and to find out how you can support the organisation visit www.transaid.org.
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Note to Editor:
Transaid transforms lives through safe, available, and sustainable transport. Founded by Save the Children, The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT), and its Patron, HRH The Princess Royal, the international development organisation shares 25 years’ worth of expertise in 23 countries with partners and governments – empowering people to build the skills they need to transform their own lives.
Transaid’s core work includes creating transport management systems for the public sector and assisting with the provision of professional driving qualification development and the training of driver trainers. It also assists with teaching preventive vehicle maintenance management and introducing local, low cost transport solutions including its innovative bicycle ambulance. Transaid also helps promote road safety awareness and shares its specialist knowledge with the humanitarian aid sector.
Transaid enjoys strong backing from the transport and logistics industry and the active involvement of its patron, HRH The Princess Royal.
For further press information:
Florence Bearman at Transaid +44 (0)20 7387 8136
Rebecca Gleave at Garnett Keeler +44 (0)20 8647 4467, or by email to rebecca.gleave@garnettkeeler.com
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