Shoppers in Coalville are being encouraged to get hands-on with a Pall-Ex HGV.

Ellistown-based Pall-Ex, the palletised freight network owned by renowned entrepreneur Hilary Devey, has teamed up with Leicester College as part of a special event to celebrate the Road Haulage Association’s National ‘Love the Lorry Week’.

Pall-Ex will be bringing one of its 15 tonne lorries to Coalville market place on Friday 30 October from 10am onwards. Not only will visitors be able to climb into the cab and have their picture taken behind the wheel, but they will also be able to find out some important facts on road safety and pedestrian awareness.

Pall-Ex staff will be joined by the team from Leicester College and, together, they will be on hand to offer help and advice about qualifications and apprenticeships in logistics, as well as explaining how the supply chain helps to keep the country moving.

“We can’t wait to bring our logistics roadshow to Coalville,” commented Holly Kerley, marketing manager at Pall-Ex.

“Not many people realise that 85% of our food, clothes and other purchases are moved on the back of a UK lorry at some point and that the logistics sector contributes a massive £74.5b to the economy. It’s a varied industry to have a career in and, with the help of Leicester College, we will be explaining some of the options available.

“We also wanted to use the event to spread the safety message. There are thousands of lorries on our roads every day and operating a lorry is very different to driving a car. The lorry that we will have in Coalville spans 17 metres. We will be explaining exactly how our drivers control such large vehicles and shoppers will literally have a driver’s view as they explore the cab and get to see the blindspots that lorry drivers deal with.

“We look forward to welcoming everyone to a fun and informative day.”

‘Love the Lorry’ is the theme of National Lorry Week, an annual awareness campaign from the Road Haulage Association. Designed to demonstrate to the public the vital role that lorries and road transport of freight play in moving the economy and daily life, events are taking place across the country.

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