DAF charity project raises £12k (and counting) and surprises school children!

The joint charitable project involving DAF Trucks and members of the Transport Association has already raised £12,000 for Helen & Douglas House, the world’s first children’s hospice when it was created in 1982. Located in Oxfordshire near DAF’s HQ in Thame, the hospice offers care for children and young adults with life shortening conditions as well as support for their families.

On the last day of term for the children and staff at the Addington School in Reading had a surprise visit from one of the three DAF XF Helen & Douglas House charity demonstrators. The three demonstrators, which have been built for the exclusive use of members of the Transport Association, are busy operating across the UK and one, together with its matching trailer, stopped at the school before going off to its next operator.

Addington is a special school which caters for 205 pupils with moderate, severe or profound learning needs. The purpose built school opened five years ago and many of pupils and their families rely on Helen and Douglas House for respite care. Hayley, whose picture is on the trailer, is one of the Addington pupils and she was there during the visit with the rest of her schoolmates.

The following note of thanks was sent by the deputy head at Addington: “Thank you so much for organising today’s visit. As you saw, our pupils (and the staff!) loved the opportunity to see the truck up close and were very impressed. In the words of one of our young people ‘It was cool to see the truck!’ The design of the advertising was excellent and will hopefully generate interest and ultimately even more money! The work you do to support Helen and Douglas House is very much appreciated. It is a vital part of the support that many of our families need. We wish you well with your fundraising for this year”.

DAF is donating the use of a specially liveried 6x2 44 tonner DAF XF tractor with a Cartwright 13.6m curtain-sided semi trailer together with two further XF tractor units. Members of the Transport Association can rent these at attractive weekly rates with 100% of their rental payments being donated to Helen & Douglas House. The Transport Association is made up of around 60 haulage companies, largely family-owned and run and operating a total of 4,000 vehicles.

ENDS

For further details please contact:

Belle Moss, Automotive PR: 020 7952 1070 or bmoss@automotivepr.com