Samworth Brothers Supply Chain has donated a training vehicle to international development organisation Transaid, which will help meet the growing demand for qualified HGV drivers in Uganda.
This is the first pledge of support from Samworth Brothers Supply Chain to Transaid and the MAN TGX truck has been shipped more than 6,000 miles to become a dedicated training vehicle for the Professional Driver Training – Uganda (PDT-U) project.
The PDT-U training school has opened its doors to the first group of drivers, with more than 4,000 people expressing their interest in being trained during the recent media campaign. Already, the first 52 trainees have completed the project’s license acquisition training course.
Neil Rettie, Transaid Road Safety Project Manager, says: “We anticipate a massive demand for high quality professional driver training in Uganda and we are so thrilled to welcome each new driver that expresses an interest in training with the PDT-U school.
“The benefits for the transport industry in Uganda from the PDT-U school truly shows how much of an impact Transaid’s Professional Driver Training projects are having in sub-Saharan Africa and how important this cause is to communities. The Uganda initiative was officially launched in 2017, and already the support it has received in the form of vehicle donations has been excellent.”
Commenting on the vehicle donation, Ian Cooper, Samworth Brothers Supply Chain Regional Fleet Manager, says: “Having the MAN available will prove so beneficial to the PDT-U project in helping drivers to learn new skills to ensure a safer working environment. Being able to contribute to its success is such a rewarding experience for us and we would not hesitate to assist Transaid again in the future.”
The MAN truck follows in the tracks of a similarly specified Volvo FH tractor unit donated by Transaid’s corporate member, Volvo Trucks. They will both be used in Uganda to haul a platform trailer – donated by W H Malcolm – loaded with an empty container for the driver training. With the two second-hand vehicles and trailer received, Transaid can effectively double the amount of people that can be trained in a given period.
The PDT-U project is one of Transaid’s largest professional driver training initiatives and builds the capacity of heavy goods vehicle (HGV) and passenger service vehicle (PSV) driver training in Uganda. Since 2008, Transaid has been working with local and international partners to build the capacity of the transport and logistics sector across sub-Saharan Africa.
The project has been secured in partnership with the German development cooperation’s GIZ E4D/SOGA – Employment and Skills for Eastern Africa, local non-governmental organisation – Safe Way Right Way, the Ugandan Government and the local private sector.
Samworth Brothers Supply Chain provides temperature-controlled distribution services to companies within the Samworth Brothers Group, which is made up of 19 businesses that individually produce chilled and ambient foods, including the famous Cornish Pasty brand, Ginsters.
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
TRAN/320/18
