A FAMILY treasure hunt at Hawkstone Park Follies raised £1,880 for good causes including lifesaving defibrillators for a Healthy Heart Campaign.

The fun event saw teams compete to amass points by using augmented reality technology in order to take part in photo missions and video challenges at the Shropshire beauty spot.

The day was organised for workmates and their families by Hartshorne Group, which supplies and services Volvo commercial vehicles across the Midlands.

James Cowen, Managing Director at Hartshorne Group, said: “It was a fantastic event and I’d like to thank all our staff as well as everybody at Hawkstone Park Follies. We had over 100 people join in and every penny raised will go towards a great cause, such as installing heart defibrillators within the community.”

Participants could nominate a charity to receive any funds they raised through sponsorship or tasks. Hartshorne matched sums by making a donation to its Healthy Heart Campaign.

The Follies are a range of dramatic hills set in 100 acres of parkland that were developed to include gullies, caves, towers and bridges. During the treasure hunt, families used iPads with mapping technology to find mystery destinations.

Hartshorne’s Healthy Heart Campaign has so far provided funds to install 10 defibrillators at local schools and community locations. Approximately 30,000 people a year suffer a cardiac arrest in the UK that occurs somewhere other than a hospital. Defibrillators come with voice instructions and can be used by anybody to re-start a person’s heart in an emergency.

Hartshorne Group operates major depots in Alfreton, Burton, Birmingham, Nottingham, Potteries (Newcastle-under-Lyme), Shrewsbury and Walsall.

Supplied by Jack Hulse, Fleet Sales Manager at Hartshorne Group, EV Cargo’s new arrivals are the first Volvos delivered to its Ashby de la Zouch depot in more than two decades, with the customer turning to Volvo following strong performance from a demonstration model.

Gareth Wakefield, Head of Fleet at EV Cargo, says: “Over the years we have heard extremely positive feedback from drivers and fleet managers on the product quality, fuel economy and emissions performance Volvo delivers.

“The fuel economy we saw on the demonstrator was very impressive, and we are extremely excited to see how that performance delivers significant operational and emissions savings across the coming months and years.”

The new trucks are powered by Euro 6-compliant D13TC Step E engines, producing 460 hp and a peak torque of 2,600 Nm. The turbo compound technology sees the use of an extra turbine after the turbocharger to reuse excess energy from the exhausts. This energy is then converted to torque directly on the crankshaft, providing a powerful and extremely fuel-efficient engine.

The tractor units’ innovative engines are paired with Volvo’s popular 12-speed I-Shift automated gearbox technology and I-See predictive cruise control. This yields further sustainability and operational efficiency gains through perfectly-timed gearshifts and active speed management.

Volvo’s I-Save package also includes I-Cruise intelligent cruise control with I-Roll which adjusts speed to further optimise fuel consumption, while the inclusion of roof and cab side air deflectors helps to optimise aerodynamic performance by reducing drag.

The new trucks are mounted with a spacious Globetrotter cab, which features a heated and suspended driver’s seat with dual armrests, electrically-controlled air conditioning with sun sensor and a 33-litre under bunk mounted fridge freezer.

The in-cab experience is completed by a high performance 12-inch fully dynamic instrument cluster, paired with a secondary colour display, and DAB radio.

Visibility is optimised courtesy of electrically heated and operated main and wide angle mirrors and headlamps which automatically adjust according to ambient light conditions, while Forward Collision Warning with advanced emergency braking and lane departure warning systems help to boost safety.

The customer’s new FHs – supplied on a four-year hire purchase agreement via Volvo Financial Services – are expected to clock-up around 160,000 km a year. The vehicles join EV Cargo’s UK commercial vehicle fleet and are backed by Volvo Gold contracts including all repairs, wear and tear and preventive maintenance.

EV Cargo is a global technology-enabled supply chain and logistics execution platform, providing air, sea and road freight and contract logistics services. 

A long-standing customer with the Swedish manufacturer, the forward-thinking business opted for the zero-tailpipe emission FE Electric following a visit to Volvo Trucks Experience Centre (VTEX), in Sweden. The truck will be used to deliver and collect skips to a wide customer base across the West Midlands.
 

Tony Hall, Director at Pegasus Skip Hire, says: “As a business we strive to be as environmentally friendly as possible and are always looking at innovative ways to help us achieve our sustainability ambitions.
 

“We were fortunate enough to be invited to Sweden to test out the electric fleet and were hugely impressed by the quality of the vehicles, and the fact that Volvo Trucks already has a full range of electric trucks available to order. We are proud to be pioneers on the journey to a cleaner and greener future for our sector.”
 

Supplied by Jamie Stanley, Area Sales Manager at Hartshorne Group, the new Volvo FE Electric has been mounted with Multilift skiploader bodywork and is powered by two electric motors, generating a peak torque of 850 Nm.
 

Driven by a two-speed transmission, offering a smooth and comfortable driving experience, the FE Electric’s power is handled by a unique traction control system developed to master even slippery surfaces, while different drive modes are available to set the desired performance, comfort, and energy usage levels.
 

Equipped with four batteries, it offers a range of approximately 190km and can be recharged in just 2.3 hours using the 150kW DC charger that has been installed at Pegasus Skip Hire’s Stourbridge depot.
 

“We are fully expecting the new electric truck to fit seamlessly into our daily operations and hope to add more to our fleet in the future,” adds Hall. “Around 90 per cent of our 100-strong commercial vehicle fleet is now Volvo. It’s great to work with a supplier which understands our business needs and supports us at every step of the process.”
 

Backed by a Volvo Gold Contract, covering all maintenance and repairs, and including proactive monitoring of batteries and associated components, the FE Electric is expected to work five days a week and is anticipated to be on the fleet for seven years.
 

Built on a 4,100mm wheelbase and equipped with full air suspension, the FE Electric’s day cab is built with a rear window, plus an additional lower passenger door window to improve visibility and maximise safety.
 

Pegasus Skip Hire is a rapidly growing business, serving both commercial businesses and domestic clients with skip services across the West Midlands.

A POPULAR community centre in Nottingham has installed a life saving heart defibrillator as part of a Healthy Heart Campaign. 

The Chilwell Memorial Hall and Institute, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary next year, received the portable medical device courtesy of local haulage sector company Hartshorne Group.

East Midlands Ambulance Service will now be hosting a training session for volunteers and other key personnel so that they can operate the defibrillator quickly and effectively should an emergency arise. 

Chris Clift, a volunteer at the Memorial Hall, said: “We’re a busy community hub that is used by people of all ages and backgrounds, so it’s reassuring to know that we have a heart defibrillator. We’d like to thank everybody who’s helped to make this happen. 

“In particular we are grateful to Hartshorne for donating this life-saving device and to councillors Richard Jackson and Eric Kerry who, through utilising the Notts County Council’s Divisional Fund, have covered the costs of installation and ongoing maintenance of the defibrillator guaranteeing many years of service to our community.”  

Hartshorne Group, which supplies and services Volvo commercial vehicles, launched the Healthy Heart Campaign to fund defibrillators, which come with voice instructions and can be used to restart a person’s heart in an emergency.  

James Cowen, Finance Director at Hartshorne said: “We are a local company and one of our delivery drivers, Peter Maloney, has a close family member who uses the Memorial Hall, so we know how important the centre is within the community.” 

The defibrillator will be registered on a national database called The Circuit so that 999-callers can be directed to it in an emergency. 

Ben Ryrie, Community Support Officer at East Midlands Ambulance Service, said: “It’s great to see everybody join together to benefit the community in this way. Defibrillators save lives and are very easy to use, so the more information we can give people in order for them to feel confident about using them the better.” 

Hartshorne has so far installed defibrillators at eight schools across the region and also at all of the company’s eight major depots, including sites in Nottingham and Alfreton. It donates £1 towards defibrillators for every hour of physical exercise that staff record via an app. Around 30,000 people a year in the UK suffer a heart attack that occurs somewhere other than a hospital.

PHOTO: Pic 1 – Back row L to R: Peter Maloney of Hartshorne, Martin Barker (Caretaker of the Memorial Hall) and Ben Ryrie of East Midlands Ambulance Service. Front row L to R: Maureen Ruston (Treasurer of the Memorial Hall) and Christine Ball (Trustee of the Memorial Hall) and James Cowen FD of Hartshorne Group.   

* East Midlands Ambulance Service says that other organisations and businesses that have defibrillators can register their device at www.thecircuit.uk 

PUPILS at a rural school are the latest to benefit from a Healthy Heart Campaign by staff at a company in Shrewsbury.

Children at Long Mountain C of E Primary School and Pre School received a heart defibrillator donated by Hartshorne Group, which is raising funds to install the medical devices in the community.

Defibrillators can be used to restart a person’s heart in an emergency and come with equipped voice instructions so that they can be used by anybody.

The life-saving medical device is particularly welcome given the school’s rural setting in open countryside at Worthen, approximately ten miles from Shrewsbury.

Headteacher Beth Rowe said: “We’d like to say a big thank you to everybody at Hartshorne. It’s reassuring to know that we have a defibrillator on site, which is important given our rural location.”

Long Mountain is the eighth school in the region to receive a heart defibrillator from Hartshorne Group, which supplies and services Volvo commercial vehicles throughout the Midlands.

Ian Middleton, Managing Director at Hartshorne, said: “It was a pleasure to visit the school and meet with the pupils and staff. A former colleague of Hartshorne, David Fletcher, has two children at the school. David has stayed within the Volvo Truck network, so it is fantastic to be able to support Long Mountain school. We are well aware of its importance to the local community”.

Hartshorne Group, which operates a major depot in Shrewsbury, launched its Healthy Heart Campaign in conjunction with West Midlands Ambulance Service.

The company donates £1 towards defibrillators for every hour of physical exercise that staff record via an app. Customers can make donations when they make use of the firm’s eye-catching Healthy Heart Campaign demonstrator trucks. In addition to Shrewsbury, Hartshorne operates depots at Alfreton, Birmingham, Burton, Potteries (Newcastle-under-Lyme), Walsall and Nottingham.

Photo: Beth Rowe (front row, far left) with Ian Middleton (back row, far left) with pupils from Long Mountain with the defibrillator, plus some of the team from Hartshorne Shrewsbury.

Our two operating companies Hartshorne and Crossroads have invested £350,000 in electric vans to reduce carbon emissions in their respective parts delivery operations.

The latest investment forms part of a joint programme by the commercial vehicle dealerships in order to boost sustainability within the haulage sector in the Midlands and the North. The vans were added to the fleet after the successful trial of two vans purchased in August 2022 as part of the same programme.

The companies have installed charging infrastructure and taken delivery of four more electric vans, which will help meet their sustainability targets as well benefitting customers by removing carbon from the supply chain.

“We are committed to working towards a sustainable future, which will also include the continued rollout of Volvo heavy electric vehicles during 2023 and beyond,” said Dave Crowley, Group Deputy Managing Director.

“This investment will not only help to meet our emissions targets, but it will also play an important role in a fast-changing world by helping our customers to meet carbon neutrality goals within their own supply chains.”

The new electric vans are state of the art VN5 models manufactured by LEVC, which were designed and built in Coventry and supplied through the Paul Rigby dealership in Birmingham.

Two of the vehicles will operate from Hartshorne’s Potteries depot in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire and two will be based at Crossroads’ site in Rotherham, adding to the two electric vans at the Hartshorne depot in Alfreton, Derbyshire.

The vehicles have a completely electric drivetrain fitted with a petrol range-extender that can be used in an emergency to seamlessly recharge the batteries.

“We experienced a 90% electric-only use throughout the three months trial in our operation. The vans operate routes to enable our drivers to return to base for a quick lunchtime charge ready again for afternoon deliveries, with a resulting reduction in emissions both for ourselves and the customer. We are now also installing solar PV panels in order to drive even more carbon from our business,” said Mr Crowley.

Hartshorne operates at a number of depots throughout the Midlands, whilst Crossroads operates at sites throughout Yorkshire and Lincolnshire. 

The Leicestershire-based business opted for Volvo ahead of two other marques due to a competitive pricing package, strong residual values and the quality of the product.
 

Supplied by Hartshorne Group, the new 18-tonne rigids are arriving in batches before the end of 2022 and have been fitted with Bucher Municipal sweeper bodies.
 

Mark Gallimore, Chief Operating Officer at Go Plant Fleet Services, says: “We run a variety of marques in the fleet and looked at three in total for this latest order, but it was Volvo which came out on top. We know they always provide us with a robust chassis with a proven track record in sweeper applications.
 

“The team at Hartshorne Group also worked hard to come to the table with an attractive all-round offer and were able to secure us guaranteed build slots at a time when there are supply issues across the industry.”
 

The new FEs have been acquired on a finance lease via Volvo Financial Services. Each truck is powered by Volvo’s D8K Euro-6 diesel engine, producing up to 250 hp and 950 Nm of torque and are driven through a 12-speed automated I-Shift transmission.
 

Inside the sleeper cabs there is a single bunk, while the onboard experience is improved with Volvo’s Drive package including an electrically operated roof hatch, air conditioning, cruise control and front overhead storage space. The air-suspended driver’s seat has an adjustable shock absorber, backrest, as well as lumbar and heat controls for added comfort.
 

A factory-fitted lower window on the passenger door, plus electrically heated and operated mirrors increase visibility and safety. The FEs also feature three-piece rear mudwings and LED rear lights.
 

The trucks are expected to be in service for around six to seven years, clocking up roughly 25,000-30,000 km per annum carrying out road sweeping operations for Go Plant’s wide customer base across the country.
 

The 39 FEs will be joined by two new Volvo FL 4×2 refuse collection vehicles in the business’s 300-plus fleet in the coming months.
 

With more than 40 years’ industry experience and expertise, Go Plant Ltd is a major provider of operated road sweepers, operating from a nationwide network of depots and service centres and working in partnership with local authorities as well as the private sector market.

The independent business, which operates from sites in Alfreton, Birmingham, Burton, Nottingham, Potteries, Shrewsbury and Walsall, was presented with the two awards at Volvo Trucks’ annual dealer conference on Tuesday 8th November, attended by leaders representing all 79 service points across the UK & Ireland.
 

2022 has seen Hartshorne Group drive its business from strength to strength, delivering on projects to improve customer experience, modernise facilities, achieve strong sales and bolster sustainability with a series of environmental initiatives aimed at supporting both staff and customers, including the arrival of the company’s first electric parts delivery vans.
 

Christian Coolsaet, Managing Director of Volvo Trucks UK & Ireland, says: “Hartshorne Group has been on a transformation journey this year, led from the top and supported at all levels within the business. The team is consistently outstanding with its fast actions, focused on delivering the best possible customer service and has been proactively taking key steps to demonstrate its commitment to a sustainable future built around e-mobility.
 

“As a team they set the perfect example for what any manufacturer wants from a high-performing multi-site dealership; never resting on their laurels but rising to new challenges and driving the business forward each and every day.”
 

Hartshorne Group has also continued to focus on its Healthy Heart Campaign in 2022, aimed at encouraging its 254-strong team to take actions to improve their personal health through activities such as walking and cycling to work. The company has also continued to donate £1 towards community-based defibrillators for every hour of physical exercise its staff track via an app, with multiple life-saving devices now installed across its area of responsibility.
 

Other awards presented on the night included Volvo Truck and Bus Centre South & East securing the Sustainability Award, for the £2m project currently nearing completion in Croydon, to build the most sustainable dealership in the network, just 10 miles from central London. The 17-site group has also replaced its entire fleet of customer courtesy cars this year with electric vehicles, supported by the installation of on-site vehicle charging infrastructure at all dealerpoints – helping to drive down emissions and promoting the benefits of switching to electric.
 

Irish Commercials secured the inaugural Electric Sales Award for its success in signing a significant Volvo FE Electric order with a major beverage company, whilst Crossroads Truck & Bus won the Used Truck Sales Award after winning new customers and extending relationships with existing fleets, despite another challenging year for used truck supply.
 

Stuarts Truck and Bus, which represents Volvo Trucks in Devon and Cornwall, rounded out the evening by picking up the Service Market Award for its commitment to delivering a first-class aftersales experience for customers in the south west. 

Medical device donated to SYA by Hartshorne Group

A LIFE-SAVING heart defibrillator has been donated to a popular youth club that is used by hundreds of young people in Shrewsbury.

The medical device was presented to the SYA (formerly known as Shropshire Youth Association) in Upton Lane after staff at local company Hartshorne Group raised cash as part of a Healthy Heart Campaign.

The defibrillator can be used to restart a person’s heart in an emergency, and it will be available to the community within the immediate area, which includes a Scout and guide facility and a BMX park.

Richard Parkes, CEO of the SYA, said: “We are located close to a recreational park that is popular with young people, so we are very grateful to Hartshorne Group. Young people can sometimes have undiagnosed heart problems, so it is reassuring to know we have access to a defibrillator.”

SYA supports around 100 youth clubs and organisations throughout Shropshire, offering age-appropriate facilities that are used by 5,000 children and young people, weekly from school Year 6 and above.

“We are a registered charity that offers a warm and welcoming environment staffed by experienced youth workers, where young people can talk to appropriate adults who will listen and offer support,” added Mr Parkes.

Hartshorne Group, which supplies and services Volvo commercial vehicles at its Shrewsbury depot in Harlescott, is a long-term supporter of the SYA, having previously donated funds in the past.

Hartshorne Managing Director Ian Middleton said: “We’re very proud to support the great work of SYA. Some of our staff have family members who go to the centre in Upton Lane and one of our apprentices also previously used the facilities, so we know how important SYA is to the local community.”

Hartshorne Group launched its Healthy Heart Campaign last year in conjunction with West Midlands Ambulance Service to fund the installation of community defibrillators, which come with voice instructions and can be used by anyone in an emergency. Hartshorne operates nine depots across the Midlands and donates £1 for every hour of physical exercise that staff record via and app. They have clocked up over 30,000 miles by running, walking or cycling, more than the circumference of the planet.

* You can read more about the work of the SYA at https://sya.org.uk/

Medical device is donated by staff at Hartshorne Group

A SCHOOL has received a life-saving heart defibrillator after a former pupil and his workmates clocked up thousands of hours of healthy exercise to raise funds.

Belper School & Sixth Form Centre accepted the vital medical device from former Belper schoolboy Ian Ward of Hartshorne Group, which supplies and services Volvo commercial vehicles.

Headteacher Nick Goforth said: “We’re very grateful to Ian and his colleagues. Heart defibrillators are a vital piece of medical equipment and this upgrades our old one, which was due for replacement. It was also wonderful to welcome a former student back to the school!”

Ian, 36 , who is manager of the Hartshorne depot in Alfreton, says he was greatly impressed by how much the school has developed since his time there as a pupil.

“It was great to go back and meet with some of the new teachers,” said Ian. “There are lots of additional buildings and I was very impressed by the modern facilities. It’s obvious that the teaching staff are very dedicated to what they do.”

The Hartshorne depot has strong links to the school. In addition to Ian, another member of its staff has a daughter who is currently a pupil.

Heart defibrillators are portable battery powered devices that come with voice instructions so that they can be used by anybody to restart a person’s heart in an emergency. Around 30,000 people a year suffer a heart attack in the UK that occurs somewhere other than a hospital.

Hartshorne Group has been raising funds to install defibrillators within the community as part of its Healthy Heart Campaign. The company donates £1 for every hour of physical exercise that staff record via an app. So far across the company’s nine depots in the Midlands, its staff have clocked up over 6,000 hours of exercise covering over 30,000 miles, which is more than the circumference of the planet.

Belper School & Sixth Form Centre is the sixth school in the region to benefit by receiving a defibrillator as a result of the campaign.

PICTURE: Pupils at Belper School with the new heart defibrillator, along with Ian Ward (back row on right), Headteacher Nick Goforth (back row in centre) and Hartshorne’s Operations Director Phil Brookfield (back row on left).