Essex Group Helps with SOS Kit Aid Charity Freight and Logistics Challenges

UK – WORLDWIDE – The Essex based Woodland Group has entered into a partnership with SOS Kit Aid, handling all aspects of the charity's international freight and logistics operation. The charity was conceived and established by rugby mad dad John Broadfoot as he watched an 8 year old Romanian boy galloping down the field with a ball in one arm and holding up his shorts with the other. As so often with the rugby community, a good idea met with wholehearted support and the recycling of unwanted items began.

From the involvement of the International Rugby Board evolved support from the World Squash Federation and the Lord’s Taverners, determined to see cricket as part of such a worthwhile effort and so far over 135,000 youngsters in 20 developing countries have received quality used and new kit donated by schools, clubs and manufacturers across the UK, with an estimated value of over £3.5 million delivered to date.

Now Woodland's recently-formed Sports Logistics division will work closely with the charity to provide efficient and cost-effective worldwide shipping services that gives young people in the UK and overseas the opportunity to play and enjoy sport, whilst making use of kit that would otherwise become environmentally damaging waste, with savings to date by the programme standing at over 500 tonnes of environmentally damaging CO₂ emissions. John Broadfoot, Chief Executive Officer of SOS Lord’s Taverners Kit Aid Ltd, said:  

“We are truly thrilled to be linking up with a major, international logistics company, especially one with a proud track record of helping disadvantaged youngsters and caring for the environment. Woodland has already introduced some major efficiency and cost saving improvements to our logistics operations. We are sure that together we will be bringing smiles to many more thousands of disadvantaged youngsters in the UK and across the world in the coming years."

Woodland has a track record of helping the disadvantaged, be it the supply of Christmas presents to kids in the wake of Typhoon Haiyan or ongoing support for transport charity Transaid and Sean Kirby, Managing Director of Woodland Logistics, commented:

“The work that John and his team carry out is extremely rewarding and has a genuinely positive impact on under-privileged kids throughout the world. Our hope is that by streamlining the charity's logistics operations, John and team will be free to raise the profile of SOS Kit Aid and gain more support for the fantastic work they are doing.”

Photo: Sometimes the pleasure in receiving can be matched by that of giving – a youngster deposits his spare cricket kit for shipment to someone more in need.