ALD Automotive Teams Up With Karshare To Provide Cars To Front Line Services

News
19/05/2020

Key workers from The North Bristol NHS Trust and the University Hospitals are being given free use of a fleet of 33 vehicles, provided by Bristol-based ALD Automotive and managed through Karshare’s free community car scheme. The 30 cars, two vans and a minibus, will be used to help key workers commute more safely, distribute supplies (including PPE) and support the community.


Tim Laver, ALD’s Managing Director, commented:

“As part of the Bristol community we all wanted to do something to help during this time of crisis, and providing vehicles was an obvious starting point. We therefore teamed up with Karshare to assist with the excellent work they were already doing in the Bristol area.”


Because public transport services have been cut and social distancing rules restrict the sharing of lifts to work, the vast majority of the ALD vehicles will be used to help key workers get to work. The first vehicles have already been handed over to staff working within the two local NHS Trusts, which manage hospitals including Southmead Hospital, Cossham Hospital, the new UWE Nightingale Hospital, Bristol Royal Infirmary, Bristol Royal Hospital for Children and Weston General Hospital.


Due to the volumes involved, and high levels of delivery driver absences, the ALD cars will also be used to transport essential supplies to health and care services including PPE, food and toiletries.


Laver continues:

“We are proud to be able to help NHS staff and other key workers throughout this challenging time and Karshare has been a great help in this process. We hope that the vehicles will make life a little easier for them, enabling them to do their vital work in hospitals and around the community.”


Karen De Freitas, who recently moved to Bristol, has started working for Care 1st and is using one of the ALD cars to go house-to-house, said:

“I recently moved to the area and wasn’t able to sort out a car out before lockdown started. I’m doing domiciliary care within the community and having access to a car means I can now provide more care to those in need in the community. I’m grateful to both Karshare and ALD; it’s a fantastic scheme and will make a real difference for many people during the crisis.”


Karshare founder Andy Hibbert explains their philosophy:

“We’re already partnered with Bristol Airport and QBE Insurance where we run a service renting out people’s cars when they go on holiday. We started thinking about how we could make a difference in the current situation and the principle is exactly the same. The average car lies unused for 96% of the time, even more so when offices and schools are shut. It seems like a waste when there are many charities and locals within the community that need transportation support right now.

“We were in discussions with ALD about how we could work together before the crisis emerged, and their response to support the Karshare community with more cars in Bristol has been incredible.”

Hibbert concludes with a personal appeal to local car owners:

“If you have a car you’re not going to need for the next week or two, we can put it to good use, doing vital work in the Bristol area. See how you can help by visiting www.Karshare.com.”


The work with Karshare is just one of a number of initiatives that ALD is undertaking to support organisations and charities in and around the Bristol area. ALD has already donated £40,000 to two NHS charities; The North Bristol NHS Trust (including Southmead Hospital, Frenchay Hospital and the new, temporary UWE Nightingale Hospital) and the University Hospitals (including Bristol Royal Infirmary, Bristol Royal Hospital for Children and Weston General Hospital). A further £10,000 has been donated to FareShare South West which will help pay for 40,000 meals to children and families in need, plus the use of five VW Transporters which will be used to distribute essential food boxes across Bristol, Devon and Cornwall.


Click for our online media pack containing images and videos of the vehicles.