The efforts of an international charity to bring Christmas cheer to millions of underprivileged children in the developing world have been boosted by leading forklift company, Briggs Equipment.

Every year Samaritan’s Purse distributes parcels to youngsters in Africa, Eastern Europe and Central Asia as part of its ‘Operation Christmas Child’ and Briggs is helping the mammoth operation by supplying the charity with two short term hire (STH) trucks, free of charge.

One of the counter balance trucks has been put to work at the charity’s Wrexham distribution depot and Phil Walker, a transport organiser for Samaritan’s Purse, says it has proved invaluable.

“This year in Wrexham we have forwarded nearly 33,000 shoeboxes full of toys and other goodies, which all need to be put on to pallets and then loaded onto trucks,” he explained.

“This would not be possible without using a forklift truck and we are really grateful to Briggs for their support.”

A second truck was loaned to the charity’s Chelmsford warehouse, which also processes boxes collected from the public, schools, churches and other associations from across the UK.

Founded in 1990, every year the project receives around one million shoeboxes of toys, toiletries and educational items, including pens and paper, and relies on the efforts of hundreds of volunteers.

Cannock-based Briggs has supported the charity for the past six years and Allan Parsons, Briggs Equipment’s STH manager, explained: “We have the largest STH fleet in the country and so we were only too happy to step in and help the charity by lending them trucks that are vital to their operation.

“Christmas is traditionally a time for giving and so we are delighted to be able to help spread a little festive cheer to children who usually have so little.”

Briggs Equipment UK

Briggs Equipment UK Ltd is a leading materials handling service provider and sole distributor of Yale Europe Materials Handling in Great Britain and exclusive Hyster products in the United Kingdom.  Providing a wide range of equipment for a broad customer base, Briggs provides innovative, tailored and cost effective solutions on a nationwide basis. With its headquarters and national support centre in Cannock, Briggs people assist and advise in the delivery of long term solutions that enable customers to develop more efficient and results driven businesses.