Logistics UK supports Great Tommy Sleep Out challenge

Wednesday 22 March 2023

Staff from Logistics UK, based in Tunbridge Wells, volunteered to swap their warm comfy beds for a hard floor and sleeping bag last night (Tuesday 21 March), to raise crucial funds for the country’s most vulnerable veterans.  

The group took part in the Great Tommy Sleep Out challenge, where participants sleep outside for one night during the month of March to raise money for Royal British Legion Industries (RBLI).  The RBLI is a Kent based charity that supports veterans through multiple services when they leave the army.  A group of fifteen Logistics UK staff, led by Director of Operations Chris Lipscomb (a former member of the armed forces), camped out in the car park last night at the business group’s headquarters in Tunbridge Wells. Other members of staff across the country also have taken part by camping out in their own gardens for a night of their choosing. In addition to the Sleep Out, bakers from across Logistics UK donned their aprons to produce sweet treats and cakes to sell to staff to raise extra funds for the charity and provide a well-deserved boost to the participants of the Sleep Out challenge.  

Chris Lipscomb, Director of Operations at Logistics UK, comments: “I understand that many veterans may struggle with the return to civilian life, which, in some cases, can result in homelessness. As a veteran myself, the welfare of my fellow former Armed Forces members is very important to me. It is vital efficient support mechanisms are widely accessible and I am therefore extremely proud that Logistics UK is supporting RBLI. Additionally, the logistics sector provides a wealth of opportunities for those who have formally served - there are currently many veterans employed in the UK logistics industry - and I would urge anybody looking for employment to visit www.generationlogistics.org to find out more about industry and its potential opportunities.”   

Every penny raised by the campaign will go directly to RBLI’s wide range of services which include emergency housing, mental health resources, welfare and employment support to military veterans. 

RBLI, which is a separate charity from the Royal British Legion, provides a home to more than 300 veterans and their families through its Kent village, including homeless veterans through its emergency accommodation at Mountbatten Pavilion. Veterans are provided with a tailored welfare support programme to help them regain their independence and overcome challenges caused by physical or mental disability, drug or alcohol dependency, and unemployment. 

To support the Logistics UK fundraising effort, go to: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/logistics-uk10?utm_source=Sharethis&utm_medium=fundraising&utm_content=logistics-uk10&utm_campaign=pfp-email&utm_term=8861fa0cd0474ad4b122f59457f1cc7b  

Further information on the vital work RBLI does to support the nation’s heroes can be found at www.rbli.co.uk  

Logistics UK is one of the UK’s leading business groups, representing logistics businesses which are vital to keeping the UK trading, and more than seven million people directly employed in the making, selling and moving of goods. With decarbonisation, Brexit, new technology and other disruptive forces driving change in the way goods move across borders and through the supply chain, logistics has never been more important to UK plc. Logistics UK supports, shapes and stands up for safe and efficient logistics, and is the only business group which represents the whole industry, with members from the road, rail, sea and air industries, as well as the buyers of freight services such as retailers and manufacturers whose businesses depend on the efficient movement of goods.