Willen Hospice receives wheel support from Mercedes-Benz

At a time when charities are finding it tougher than ever to meet their funding needs, Willen Hospice, a Milton Keynes charity providing specialist care for people whose illness no longer responds to curative treatments, has received support from Mercedes-Benz UK.  The vehicle manufacturer whose UK head office is also based in Milton Keynes has provided a Mercedes-Benz Vito van to the charity.

The white Vito van will be an essential workhorse for a variety of key duties including the movement of stock from Willen’s warehouse to their ten locally-based shops, transporting event material for fundraising activities and carrying the many tools needed by the maintenance team to keep the charity’s sites up and running.

The van is also liveried with the distintive “always there to care” Willen Hospice logo which will help to raise the charity’s profile.

‘Friends of Willen Hospice’, a band of volunteers who undertake to raise the money needed each year to cover the cost of a bed at the hospice, will also be able to use the Vito van for their fundraising activities which include raffles, concerts, school fetes and coffee mornings.

With the recent news that the 2010 MK Midnight Moo raised £225,000, the Vito van will also act as a limousine for Florence, the Midnight Moo’s fun mascot, as she promotes future fund raising events.

The used Mercedes-Benz Vito was refurbished by Mercedes-Benz UK’s Used Commercial Vehicle Centre at Wentworth Park near Barnsley, Yorkshire.

Ian Jones, Managing Director, Mercedes-Benz Commercial Vehicles, said: “We have a long history of working in partnership with Willen Hospice and supporting them with their fundraising activities.  We are therefore delighted to take this support to the next level by providing a Mercedes-Benz Vito van which will allow the Hospice to do even more good work in the Milton Keynes community.”

The Mercedes-Benz Vito was officially handed over to Paul Hinson, CEO, Willen Hospice at the charity’s hospice building by Ian Jones, Managing Director, Mercedes-Benz Commercial Vehicles.

Paul Hinson Chief Executive of Willen Hospice said: "Mercedes-Benz UK has been a wonderful supporter and a truly great friend to Willen Hospice for many years. The donation of a van in our 30th anniversary year is incredibly generous and something that we were in desperate need of. On behalf of all the staff, patients and volunteers that will benefit from this, I would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to everyone at Mercedes-Benz.