Express freight distribution expert Palletforce has donated £12,500 to the UK’s first respite holiday village for children with critical illness as part of its major support effort for the vital charity facility.
Kids’ Village is based five miles from Palletforce’s SuperHub distribution centre in Burton upon Trent and is the logistics firm’s chosen charity for 2025.
Members of the Palletforce marketing team handed over a cheque for £12,500 at Kids’ Village’s Staffordshire base, when they visited to see initial progress including the construction of the first road and management lodge.
The money was raised at its Members General Meeting, where representatives of the 125 companies in Palletforce’s nationwide express distribution network come together to share expertise and best practice. A World Book Day event also raised £150 for book vouchers for Kids’ Village.
Palletforce employees Rachael Bradbury, Kelly Chilton and Kim Raffle are planning to raise additional funds by running the Tissington Half Marathon on 20 September.
Kids’ Village was chosen as Palletforce’s charity of the year due to its amazing work to help ill children and their families, and their plans to raise £5m to build the respite village impressed the company’s Excellence in Action Employee Champions group.
Mark Tapper, Palletforce CEO, said: “The Palletforce colleagues who visited the site could see the dream starting to take shape, which is really exciting.
“They got a real sense of where every pound goes and the incredible project we’re helping to build. Every donation is helping create a place where families with critically ill children can make magical memories together.
“Kids’ Village is an amazing cause and the incredible work they do really inspired our member companies to do what they can to help. We know that the money is much needed and will really help to make a difference.
“We are supporting them throughout the year and will continue to do all that we can to help in the long term. Palletforce has a long history of working with local and national charities and with our Employee Champions we can take this to an even higher level and make a real difference in the communities we serve.”
The Kids’ Village complex will have 10 four-bedroom lodges, as well as a central building for communal events and activities, offering free breaks for families who have been through difficult and tiring times in hospital. Work on an internal road in the village near Lichfield has begun and the management lodge is now in place.
Katrina Cooke, CEO of Kids’ Village, said: “To have had the support of Palletforce throughout the year has been brilliant. They are playing a huge role in helping us create a place where families affected by childhood illness can relax and make special memories together. We’ve really seen the enthusiasm of their staff, and we’d like to say a huge thank you to them and the wider member network for their incredible support.”
