DRIVER RECRUITMENT FIRM BACKS EPIC ZAMBIAN CHARITY RIDE
One of the UK's fastest growing independent driver recruitment companies has 'got on its bike' to help raise vital funds for road transport development in Zambia.
Transline Resource, which provides over 500 professionally assessed HGV drivers to some of Britain's largest retail and logistics companies, is supporting one of its client companies, Wincanton, in the 'Cycle Zambia Challenge' - a grueling 10 day charity bike ride over 260 miles of dusty, inhospitable African terrain.
Transline Resource currently supplies Wincanton at over 30 UK locations prompting it to donate £1000 to help seven Wincanton employees - dubbed the 'Pirates of the Zambian' - reach a £30,000 target they have set themselves for the ambitious charity ride.
Organised by Transaid - a charity formed by the UK transport industry to improve the way transport is managed in the developing world - the Cycle Zambia Challenge's end goal is to raise a total of £100,000 to help improve road safety for the country's 12 million inhabitants.
Director of Transline Resource, Paul Beasley, said: "When we heard about the challenge the Wincanton team had set themselves we were only too willing to help out. The cause is a fantastic one and anyone we work with who is willing to put themselves through ten days of cycling in the baking heat to help those less fortunate deserves our full support."
During the Cycle Zambia Challenge 2009 - 7th to 16th May - participants will visit Transaid's Professional Driver Training Project which works in partnership with the Industrial Training Centre Trust (ITCT) in Lusaka to improve driver training and safety standards - an element of temporary driver supply key to Transline Resource's ethics.
"The values of Transaid's Professional Driver Training Project resonate strongly in our organisation," said Paul Beasley, whose Transline Resource business has led the way in its commitment to the training of drivers for the UK haulage industry to NVQ, CPC level and beyond.
He added: "Poor training of drivers can have serious consequences ranging from law suits to serious injury and in some instances death. The success of our UK training scheme has driven up standards and efficiency in the industry so to see it happening in a less developed country is fantastic. We are more than happy to support Wincanton in endorsing such a well thought out scheme."
Wincanton Contract Manager and Cycle Zambia participant, Gavin Williams said: "We'd like to thank Transline Resource for helping provide us with the motivation we need to get the job done. Despite the obvious fun involved, this is about raising money for a good cause and so far we've been overwhelmed by the response we've had, especially in the current economic climate."
If you would like to follow Transline Resource's lead and support the 'Pirates of the Zambian' then please visit www.justgiving.com/transaidcyclezambia to make a donation. All donations are welcomed.