Avonmouth-based multi-make dealers Molson Group have worked closely over the years with several of their suppliers and customers to raise awareness for the charities they support.
One of the most high profile customers has been Fairfax Plant Hire based in Selby, Yorkshire who, late on in 2022, put a new SK140SRLC-7 Kobelco excavator into their large fleet decorated to support the Yorkshire Air Ambulance.
Earlier this year the company put another Kobelco excavator supplied by Molson into the fleet, this time sporting a livery to highlight the MNDA charity and support their research into curing Motor Neurone Disease and helping families dealing with it on a daily basis.
MND affects the nerves known as motor neurones found in the brain and spinal cord which help tell your muscles what to do. Sufferers with MND will have their movement affected and are likely to get a wide range of symptoms including stiffness and cramps, muscle wastage, impacted speech and difficulty swallowing. The MND Association focuses on improving access to care, research and campaigning for those people living with or affected by MND in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Little had been spoken about MND until it was brought to the public’s attention in 2019 when one of the UK’s greatest ever Rugby League players, Rob Burrow CBE announced he had been diagnosed with the disease. Prior to the star’s death in 2024 at just 41 years of age, both Rob and his former teammate, Kevin Sinfield CBE set out to raise awareness and funds for research into this terrible disease.
Based in the heartlands of rugby league, it was only right that Fairfax Plant Hire were to step up and raise additional funds for the charity using their specially liveried Kobelco excavator. ‘We have chosen MNDA as one of our charities for 2024 as a former colleague has been diagnosed with the disease.’ Sales Manager for Fairfax’s Selby depot Jeremy Triffitt commented. ‘We are proud to have raised over £30,000 for our charities over the past couple of years and will push to keep this trend going with our MNDA liveried machine.’
We caught up with the SK140SRLC Kobelco excavator as it worked on a new housing development in Yorkshire.
The curved rear counterweight has been wrapped by Molson’s regular sign writers Image Signs in Avonmouth who have, yet again, done a sterling job on the two-tone blue and orange livery.
Like their previous charity machine, the SK140 Kobelco excavator took pride of place at the second celebrity cricket match organised by the company to raise funds for MNDA and the Yorkshire Air Ambulance. The monies raised from these events totalled will be added to by Molson and hitch and bucket supplier Miller Groundbreaking swelling the coffers to over £30,000.
‘On behalf of the MND Association I would like to personally thank Molson and Miller for their generosity and for enabling Fairfax to spread the awareness of the excellent work the charity is undertaking.’ Jeremy commented.
