Swift's wheel-y kind gift to the homeless

Newbury courier company donate van to soup kitchen

SWIFT Logistics Group has donated a van to Newbury Soup Kitchen.

The courier company, based in Hambridge Lane, has continued its support of the town’s homeless community by gifting the vehicle to the charity.

Newbury Soup Kitchen founder Meryl Praill said: “The ability to respond at short notice to instances of poor and cold weather in key locations has been highlighted and with Swift’s kind support we now have a vehicle which can offer such a response and also service pre-scheduled meeting points to distribute hot food, clothing or just a supportive kind word.”

Mrs Praill said the van would make the charity look more professional and send out a message that “we are not going away and are very serious about what we do”.

Newbury Soup Kitchen session manager Mai Britt added: “Some people look at the homeless and think they are dirty or disgusting or whatever,

“They are not dirty or disgusting, they are human beings, just like us.

“They are someone’s son, brother, father.

“Life circumstances have led them to where they are.

“People do not just fall down from the sky and become homeless.”

Swift Logistics Group chief executive Adrian Smith said donating the van was “the right thing to do”.

He said: “Homelessness is a big issue here – even in an affluent area like Newbury and West Berkshire.

“We are very passionate about our corporate responsibilities and just wanted to do something to help.

“We have brought a lot of homeless people into the business as employees in the past too.”

Mrs Praill praised Mr Smith, saying he had been “amazing and a great support”.