Lions get into the groove with Volkswagen Wayside

The Milton Keynes Lions basketball squad has teamed up with the Wayside retailer group to launch the Groove Truck, a new Volkswagen Crafter which will help deliver the Lions’ Community Programmes in schools and parishes in and around Milton Keynes. The lavishly decaled van, which is the long wheelbase high roof version with a 136 bhp engine, was handed to the MK Lions’ Chief Executive, Vince Macaulay, at the Xscape building in Milton Keynes on 2nd September.

The MK Lions, the city’s Premier League basketball team, conduct in excess of 18,000 child hours of basketball in the city and the Groove Truck will carry portable basketball hoops, basketballs and courtside boards as well as sound speakers, televisions and other technical gadgets to promote basketball amongst young people.

Vince Macaulay said: ‘This is the most fantastic thing that could happen to our community programme. The tremendous show of support from Wayside will assist us in bringing high quality coaching with a sense of fun to all in Milton Keynes.’

The MK Lions have just become the first Premier League club in the country to receive the prestigious Sport England Clubmark. The club also received accreditation from England Basketball at the beginning of August.

Terry Ashby of Wayside Rental who has worked on the development of the Groove Truck said: ‘Wayside Rental is proud to be supplying the Groove Truck to the MK Lions, and appreciates the important role that the Lions play in our community, and in particular to the young people in the schools in Milton Keynes.’

The Groove Truck is planned to make 100 visits in its first year to schools and events. The Lions’ community drive follows hard on the heels of the most successful summer basketball programme ever in Milton Keynes.

In addition to the planned events, members of the public can book the Groove Truck by contacting the Lions on 01908 512217.