We’re donating a truck to Zambia!
Inspiring the younger generation! Page
Don’t be a side-swiper!
We are family
Going the extra mile...
As the first quarter of the year draws to a close, we are happy to announce that business is picking up following the usual lull after the Christmas period. And with several promising opportunities on the horizon, we remain optimistic and excited about what the rest of 2023 holds for us.
Business, on the whole, is looking up, and we’re pleased to report that our increased racking facilities at Frontier Park have enabled us to expand our BRCGS-accredited warehousing capabilities and attract several new clients. This growth has given us ample potential for the future, and we look forward to building on this success.
We’re also thrilled to have strengthened our engagement with the wider community through various initiatives promoting social responsibility, diversity and inclusion. One project that we’re particularly excited about is our collaboration with Transaid in Zambia, which you can read more about in this newsletter.
Looking ahead, we have much to anticipate, including brighter days, a bustling truck show season, and awards evenings on the horizon. Behind the scenes, there are also numerous innovative developments underway that we are excited to unveil in due course.
For now, stay tuned and enjoy the read!
That’s right! It’s not too late to get your hands on a model of Dave Weston’s much-loved ‘heritage-collection’ vehicle, Joan Margaret.
The latest model truck to join our collection was created in collaboration with Maguires Models, celebrating Dave Weston’s 34 years of service to Fagan & Whalley and his outstanding efforts during last year’s truck shows.
The original truck, which is a well-known staple on the truck show circuit, was gifted to Dave back in 2020 to celebrate his 30th anniversary working for Fagan & Whalley - and is affectionately named after his mother. It has been customised with unique light bars, chequered plating and a fully painted chassis and wings, making it truly one of a kind!
“Everyone here at Fagan & Whalley is familiar with Dave and his passion for what we do, so when we were looking for the next vehicle to add to our model truck collection, this choice was a no-brainer!’ says F&W Brand & Marketing Executive, Chris Corrigan.
“There aren’t many people who can truly say that their job aligns so well with their true passion, but for Dave, this really is the case. Alongside the 34 fantastic years he’s spent working for the Fagan & Whalley family, he also goes the extra mile by spending so much of his free time representing us at truck shows up and down the country. We couldn’t be more grateful to Dave for all his unwavering commitment to our company”
Stocks are limited, so act fast and secure yours by emailing us at marketing@faganwhalley.co.uk.
It’s not too late to get your hands on Dave Weston’s truck!Graham Fagan & Stephen Fagan, CEOs
At Fagan & Whalley, we’ve always had a long-standing commitment to inspire the next generation of professional drivers to join the industry, as well as fostering strong connections with our local communities. But one of our own drivers, Chris Braysford, went above and beyond by taking time out of his busy schedule to visit his son’s nursery and share his passion for the profession.
The children were thrilled to have Chris visit and were full of curiosity, asking great questions about what it’s like to be a professional driver. Chris even gave them a special treat by letting them sit in our Future-bound vehicle, giving them a taste of the experience of being a driver.
We are delighted to have had the opportunity to inspire these young minds and hope that some of them will consider a career in professional driving when they grow up. We also sent them off with goodie bags as a reminder of the exciting day they had with us. A huge well done to Chris for going above and beyond!
We’ve had the pleasure of partnering with Transaid, who, like us, put people at the centre of everything they do!
Our team has been working closely with Transaid to address the increasing demand for qualified HGV drivers in sub-Saharan Africa. As a result of our collaboration, we are excited to announce that we are donating one of our de-fleeted vehicles to serve as a training vehicle for HGV drivers at the Industrial Training Centre (ITC) in Zambia.
We have had the privilege of partnering with Transaid for several years now, and upon learning of the ITC’s need for new training vehicles, we were eager to donate a de-fleeted 2014 Scania R450 6x2 vehicle, which will be transported over 7,000 miles to the ITC in Zambia in the coming weeks.
The ITC has been in partnership with Transaid since 2008 and is Zambia’s top vocational training centre for HGV driver training and related courses. The partnership strives to ensure that every driver can leave for work without the fear that they will not return home due to inadequate training or unsafe vehicles.
“Road safety and thorough HGV training are of utmost importance to us at Fagan & Whalley, so we were inspired to learn about the incredible work that Transaid and the ITC are doing in sub-Saharan Africa to transform road safety - and we knew we wanted to be part of it,” said Chris Corrigan, F&W’s Brand & Marketing Executive.
“We have enjoyed working with the ITC, whose values regarding road safety are closely aligned with our own. We have long
emphasised the need to improve road safety in the UK, so extending this mission to subSaharan Africa means a lot to us.
“At Fagan & Whalley, our dedicated Compliance department ensures individuals are kept safe on UK roads. Meanwhile, Transaid’s work in Africa aims to improve road safety standards and drivers’ livelihoods - supporting the broader community and economy by enabling easier transportation of medical supplies and commodities. It’s been great to work with a partner whose values align so closely with our own and who, like us, places people at the core of their mission!”
We’re delighted to announce that our friends at Alan R Jones & Sons have joined a network of over 60 haulage companies across the UK after recently being appointed members of The Transport Association.
The Transport Association, which was founded in 1955, is a network of like-minded organisations, which are mostly family-run - and consists of over 5,700 vehicles and 175 storage warehouses. This offers haulage companies a powerful opportunity to connect and collaborate with other businesses within the industry. Members are invited to meet twice a month in order to network, share industry information and resources, and connect with one another.
There are also numerous practical benefits for haulage companies who join the association, including:
• The availability of safe HGV parking throughout the UK
• Exclusive access to shower and truckstop amenities
• Increased driver well-being initiatives
This practical support is highly valued in the haulage industry, as a
We are excited to announce that the Alan R Jones team successfully raised an amazing £1,000 for the local Velindre charity through their Christmas raffle.
We would like to express our gratitude to everyone who contributed by purchasing raffle tickets and donating gifts. Thank you for coming together to make a difference!
survey conducted in 2021 found that more than half of respondents rated parking spaces for lorries as being ‘fairly poor’ or ‘very poor’. More recently, a lack of roadside facilities for professional drivers was identified as a significant reason for the increasing driver shortages across the UK - emphasising just how vital the support of The Transport Association is.
We’re thrilled to have joined The Transport Association. In addition to the outstanding truckstop facilities and safe parking spaces that our drivers now have access to, we have also gained a valuable network of other organisations, who share similar experiences and challenges to ourselves.
We never underestimate the power of connections here at Alan R Jones, so we’re really excited for our next associate meeting! The Transport Association has already proven to be a great asset to our company, and we look forward to utilising the resources and support it provides.
Back in December, as part of our ongoing effort to invest in our fleet, Dan Smith, Alan R Jones’ Workshop Manager, was gifted a Ford Transit fleet support vehicle. The new vehicle features the distinctive blue “go faster” stripes, as well as the Red Dragon emblem, highlighting Alan R Jones’ strong roots and heritage in South Wales. It’s safe to say that it’s looking pretty great!
A huge thank you to the following members of our team, who have been recognised by our customers and members of the public, for going above and beyond their duties:
Gemma Rushton, who was praised by a member of our team for sorting a late collection at 9:58pm. Gemma was praised for her efforts and pulled out all the stops for this to be delivered!
David Mogford, who made a lasting impression on a member of the public whilst assisting and unloading in the bitter cold! David was praised for his cheerful nature and was a credit to our organisation.
Zara Dodd, who was recognised by a client as being incredibly helpful and always providing quick responses to questions, as well as being a great asset to our team!.
Tim Bowness, for being praised by a customer for being incredibly helpful and always keeping in touch! Well done!
On May 11th this year, Dan Rolling and his two close friends will embark on a demanding 25-mile hike from Manchester Children’s Hospital to Derian House Children’s Hospice in Chorley. Tragically, one of the friends, Kyle, lost his son Wyatt in 2021 after a long fight against Myotonic Dystrophy. With the goal of raising funds for the exceptional Derian House in Chorley, which offered palliative care to Wyatt in his final days, Dan and his companions have committed to undertaking this difficult trek.
To find out more or contribute to the cause, please scan the QR code...
Over the last few months, we are pleased to have been joined by a host of new team members into both new and existing roles. Welcome to the F&W team!
Albion House: Emma Luty
Burnley Bridge Depot: Jiri Karvai
Coventry Depot: Martyna Stokowska, Christopher Hayes, Gareth Rolph
Frontier Park Depot: Tomasz, Chlastawa, Alex Taylor, Melissa Place
David Mogford
David, who joined Fagan & Whalley last year as part of our Future-bound Academy, deserves a big congratulations. He graduated to Class Two in September and has recently made the leap to Class One.
Jamie Gilbridge
A further huge congratulations to Jamie, who recently earned his Class One Licence after joining the Fagan & Whalley team last June. With the help of our in-house training academy, Jamie has dedicated himself to his training over the last few months, and his hard work has certainly paid off. We wish Jamie all the best in his future endeavours with us!
Amy Boardwell
We’d also like to extend our congratulations to Amy on successfully passing her Class Two Licence with us. Well done, Amy! We’re thrilled to have worked with her to achieve this accomplishment and know she’s got a successful career on the road ahead of her!
Gareth Tapp
A massive congratulations to Gareth Tapp at Alan R Jones for passing and receiving his Operator Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC) this past February.
Gareth has been a part of the Alan R Jones family since 2006, starting as a Class 2 Professional Driver and delivering goods around South Wales. Over the years, he has worked his way up to the position of Palletline Operations Manager. We’re thrilled to hear about Gareth’s achievement and couldn’t be prouder of him - well done!
Simon Britton
A huge well done to Alan R Jones, General Manager, Simon Britton, who has also received his Operator Certificate of Professional Competence (CPC). A fantastic accomplishment and one we’re incredibly proud of Simon for achieving!
Laura Haworth
Padiham Depot: Gregory Harvey, Aarron Caldwell, Ethan Hickey, Ilja Stefanovs, Gary Masterman, Michal Piatkowski
Alan R Jones: Adam Heath, Jack Dainith, Joe Appleby, Colin Armstrong
Finally, we’d like to congratulate the wonderful Laura Haworth - who has been promoted from her role as a HR Supervisor to the HR Manager. A valued member of our team since 2014 - it’s safe to say Laura is doing a fantastic job!
This February saw the twelve-month anniversary of our newest BRCGS-accredited warehouse, Frontier Park - and what an exciting first year it has been!
Since opening the doors to our Blackburn-based warehouse last February, we’ve significantly expanded our storage and distribution services, implemented a 24-hour operation and welcomed plenty of new clients on board - giving us a great deal to celebrate…
Back in August, we achieved the highest AA-grade rating from the Brand Reputation Compliance Global Standards at Frontier Park. This certification demonstrates our strict compliance with the food safety and hygiene standards required for storing and distributing food-related products. We are delighted with this achievement, which ensures the peace of mind of our clients and end-users alike.
We’ve also implemented a 24-hour operation at Frontier Park, investing in new technologies and innovation. Our complete fleet of Linde Material Handling VNA forklifts provides greater manoeuvrability and increased flexibility.
Finally, Frontier Park has provided us with over 200,000 sq ft. of warehousing and, alongside our new racking facilities, has enabled us to expand our services and welcome several new clients on board.
Having integrated seamlessly into our distribution network, Frontier Park has allowed us to streamline our processes. It’s a real source of pride for the Fagan & Whalley family to reflect on how much the warehousing side of our company has grown - and we can’t wait to see what’s still to come!
In line with our core company ethos of supporting the health and wellbeing of team members across all departments, we’re pleased to we’re pleased to share our employee benefits package.
As a driver, you’ll know that side-swiping accidents can be costly in more ways than one. Not only can they cause damage to other vehicles or property, but they can also result in injuries and even fatalities.
Fagan & Whalley’s Head of Compliance, Martyn Richardson, has put together eight incident prevention techniques to reduce your chances of being involved in a sideswipe collision - so you can keep yourself and others safe whilst on the road.
Keeping mirrors clean and properly adjusted at all times will allow you to be able to observe correctly when changing lanes or overtaking. If you cannot correctly see through your mirrors, you’ll put yourself at a greater risk of being involved in a side-swiping accident.
It’s also important to take blind spots into consideration every time you change the position of your vehicle. This includes when changing lanes, merging, or overtaking another vehicle. It’s important to note that, despite improvements in mirror positioning, there are still blind spots to consider, especially on the nearside.
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By being aware of any upcoming roadworks, junctions, or roundabouts, you can anticipate potential hazards and plan your movements by looking ahead. Doing this means you’ll have more time to react and can adjust your driving accordingly.
It’s no news to us that fatigue can impair your judgement and reaction time, as well as increase the risk of an accident. So, if you’re feeling tired, pull over at a suitable location and take a break.
Maintaining a safe following distance is important in preventing sideswipe accidents. You should always be able to stop in the distance you can see to be clear. During adverse weather conditions, increase your distance even further. This will give you enough time to react if the traffic situation ahead changes
There is an increased risk of collision every time you change lanes, so the fewer lane-changing manoeuvres you make, the better. Be extra vigilant where traffic is merging onto the carriageway and try to avoid conflicting lane changes.
Merging onto a busy carriageway can be a challenge, but it’s important to do so safely. Always signal your intentions, anticipate gaps, and match the speed of the traffic on the carriageway you’re merging onto.
During your journey, you will often witness poor lane discipline by others. But as a professional driver, it’s important not to react with frustration as this will only serve to increase the risk. Anticipate the situation and, if necessary, allow sufficient room to accommodate the driver who made a poor decision. Mindset and attitude are your two main skills.
By following these eight incident prevention techniques, you can reduce your chances of being involved in a sideswipe accident and keep yourself and others safe on the road. Remember, safe driving is everyone’s responsibility, so stay alert, follow the rules of the road, and always drive defensively!
