National motor factor GSF Car Parts has announced a new commitment to introduce accredited mental health training to its team members. The launch of this programme yesterday ties in with World Mental Health Day, a day to raise awareness of the importance of mental health support.
The UK Garage and Bodyshop Event (UKGBE), presented by Automechanika Birmingham, will participate in this year’s Bangers4Ben rally. Its team, dubbed the Dublin Driving Dolls, will travel 1,500 miles across Ireland over four days (7-10 October) alongside other entrants in their very own ‘bangers’, all of which cost less than £750. The rally will cross the Irish Sea from Holyhead to Dublin, hitting the winding roads of Ireland, before completing the tour back in Dublin and the ferry back to Britain. UKGBE has partnered with LKQ Euro Car Parts and established aftermarket business owners Louise Baker and Rachel Murray on its entry.
Glen Callum Associates (GCA) has launched a team effort to complete Benathlon, a 30-day challenge encouraging participants to exercise for 30 minutes every day for the 30 days of September. Benathlon is an event organised by mental health charity Ben, which is dedicated to supporting employees within the automotive industry and their families. Ben works with automotive professionals to improve their lives by enhancing their health and wellbeing through its free and confidential helpline and support services.
National motor factor GSF Car Parts and final-mile delivery specialists Delivery Mates are partnering for a unique challenge to raise awareness and money for the automotive industry charity BEN. A team of six riders from GSF and Delivery Mates will complete a three-day rally on electric motorbikes, visiting 15 GSF branches along the way. The rally will begin at Midpoint, GSF’s National Distribution Centre in Birmingham, and conclude at its Chester Support Office in the north west.
On Monday, 5 June, as part of its ongoing 50 years in Europe celebrations, the Denso UK team invited a selection of its key customers to enjoy a golf orientated event at The Belfry, one of the most prestigious golfing venues in the UK. “The theme of the day was teamwork and the importance of aligning the objectives and relationships of the whole supply chain,” explained Denso’s UK and Eire sales manager, Kevin Peacocke. “To this end, as well as direct customers, the team were joined by service suppliers, representatives of OESAA and their garage forum and senior managers from within Denso. In addition however, we also wanted to raise funds for the important work that Ben does to help industry colleagues in need.
Ben Ball made a welcome return to London’s iconic Roundhouse for a spectacular comeback celebration on 8th December – bringing 600 automotive industry people together for the first time since the pandemic began and raising £96,500 in the process. The Roundhouse was transformed into a spectacular winter ballroom for the evening, and guests were treated to stunning live entertainment from LED drum crew, Spark! and a thrilling performance from the aerial acrobatic circus troupe, Arctic Cirque.
The Independent Garage Association (IGA) has made a donation of £20,000 to automotive charity Ben on behalf of its members, to help the charity provide vital support to people in the automotive sector.
Customers shopping in LKQ Euro Car Parts branches have collectively donated more than £10,000 to automotive industry charity, BEN, by adding £0.25 to their total when they check out. The funds have been raised via a new partnership with Pennies, an award-winning provider that gives people the option to make digital ‘micro-donations’ when paying by card, as a way of encouraging them to give to good causes.
Automotive industry charity Ben says the number of people seeking its support for mental health and money concerns has increased. It adds that demand will continue to grow as the full impact of the COVID-19 pandemic unfolds. The charity has created a ‘Coronavirus hub’ on its website, with specially developed online tips, advice, and tools for managing money, coping with stress, and facilitating home working now available.
The automotive industry charity Ben is extending its digital, telephone and face-to-face mental health services. Ben says the extension will offer “more choice for individuals seeking support with mental health and wellbeing issues including stress, anxiety and depression.” The expansion responds to its latest insights about the needs of automotive industry people. Mental health is the most common reason why people reach out to Ben for support, with 52 per cent contacting its helpline last year due to concerns with their mental health. Ben adds that its new services will help it to reach and support more people in the automotive industry.
Automotive benevolent fund, Ben, recently conducted a survey which found that automotive industry employers identified stress as a major issue affecting employees.
A total of 70 per cent of respondents to the employer survey said stress had most affected their employees’ health and wellbeing – particularly those in the manufacturing and retail sectors. This was also reflected in the latest employee survey, with 57 per cent saying they are stressed at work, 47 per cent are stressed at home and 35 per cent are stressed at work and home.
The Independent Automotive Aftermarket Federation (IAAF) has successfully hosted its second Team Golf Challenge at The Abbey Hotel, Redditch in aid of automotive trade charity, BEN.
This year’s Ben Charity Cricket Match, sponsored by FPS Distribution, is taking place at Dorridge Cricket Club on Thursday 12 September 2019. The organisers states that it has been pleased with the initial response, but would welcome more participants.
Following the closure announcement relating to Honda’s Swindon plant as well as the closure and scaling back of production at a number of other automotive factories and their suppliers, Carol Keller, communications director at Ben – the charity and support service for the automotive sector – extended the charity’s offer of help to those affected:
Melksham Motor Spares, one of the South West’s largest independent motor factors, has announced the grand total of its 50th Anniversary fundraising campaign is £17,500. The company, established in Melksham in 1968, wanted to put fundraising at the heart of its 2018 anniversary celebrations to help mark its milestone birthday.
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