Drive Weston supports local children’s Christmas charity

By Matt de Prez

9 December 2021

Drive Motor Retail’s Weston-Super-Mare dealership is supporting Every Child Needs Christmas for the fifth consecutive year.

The initiative aims to give underprivileged children living in the Bristol postcode area the opportunity to open a present on Christmas Day.

Drive Weston, a Vauxhall retailer, serves as a drop-off point for donations and a place to sort gifts, the dealership provides vans to transport donations and the Drive Weston team has provided more than £2,500 worth of gifts to the campaign this year.

Simon Strange, sales manager at Drive Weston said: “We are proud to support Every Child Needs Christmas – no child should wake up on Christmas Day with nothing to open.

“After a conversation with the organisers I felt it was something that we could help with because we have the space to do the sorting and we have the vehicles to help distribute the gifts. We also have a brand that helps increase the exposure of the campaign.

“I think it is important as a key business in the community that we contribute and give something back to our local area wherever we can, and that is of huge importance within the Drive Motor Retail group.”

Founder of Every Child Needs Christmas Sara Arshad added: “I’d like to say a huge thank you to Drive Vauxhall Weston-Super-Mare as always for their venue, manpower, vans and £2,500 of donations towards gifts! How incredible. Simon and his team are a massive part of what we do here.”

Drive Motor Retail is one of the UK’s largest privately owned automotive retail groups with a turnover of approximately £250 million per annum and over 700 members of staff employed in 16 dealerships across the country. It expanded its previously Vauxhall-dominated franchise portfolio with the addition of three new MG Motor UK dealerships in Leicester, Bristol and Darlington this year.

Automotive charity Ben has launched a Christmas appeal which aims to raise at least £500,000, to ensure it can support the record numbers of people calling on its services this year.

During 2021, Ben has seen a 147% increase in demand for support as more people than ever before turn to the charity with issues ranging from mental and physical health to poverty, domestic abuse, homelessness and more.