Irish Groupage News - Irish Groupage Services Limited

Our Christmas Tree

s a company we work closely with Derby University who have a ‘DE-Carbonise’ initiative, assisting businesses such as ours to reduce their carbon footprint and environmental impact, in line with this we are looking into all areas which we can do better as a business, so this year we have chosen to opt for a potted real Christmas tree, as it can be planted in our conservation area for re-use! During the re-model and expansion of our logistics centre we selected land which we have designated as a ‘conservation area’. Once the Christmas period is over, we will remove our tree from its pot and plant it, where it will continue to live and grow.

The Christmas Tree

We also found that some companies, such as The Real Christmas Tree based in Nottinghamshire, make charitable donations from the proceeds, such as to Help for Heroes. The Real Christmas Tree donate £1 per sale to Help for Heroes, a charity which is close to home for many of us here at ILC and across the UK. Every year worldwide millions of trees are cut down to decorate our homes for the Christmas period, it is estimated that in the US alone 33-36 million trees are cut down for decoration, this figure is dwarfed by the estimation of 50-60 million trees across Europe, only to end up discarded on rubbish heaps weeks later. Many of the trees cut down are wild growing, although there are more sustainable options available, for example Christmas tree farms, which plant new seedlings every year to replace those which have been cut down. This approach is far more sustainable than the use of plastic trees, which are widely made from PVC and coated in fire retardants which may last for many years but will ultimately end up on the rubbish dump once they have gone past their best. From here these artificial trees will take years to decay, and in the process of doing so will release micro plastics and PBDE’s into the surrounding ecosystems, the impact of which can be noted as far away as the Arctic where these substances have been found in the tissue of animals such as ringed seals. By choosing to keep the root system of our tree intact and secure in a pot, we can ensure that our tree will be able to be re-planted once the Christmas period is over, reducing our carbon and environmental impact for Christmas 2021!

Think Children

Based in the heart of Newark on Trent, Think Children offers crucial support to children who need a helping hand. Founded in 1981 as the Juvenile Treatment Unit their team of committed staff and volunteers, has continued to dedicate themselves to supporting the children of the community

through the years. What started as a small unit has grown out of its home district of Newark and Sherwood, reaching out into the surrounding cities and towns. Their services include 1 to 1 sessions with trained workers, both inside and out of schools, giving children the opportunity to openly discuss their thoughts and feelings in a familiar and comfortable setting. For some children, these sessions are vital for boosting their self-esteem, communication skills and even working through complex issues which can impact their development. For the team to continue to grow and offer this important service, they rely on the support of the community to not only spread the word about their work, but also donate to the cause. Mr Andrew Morris, of International Export Packers, Trade Freight International and Irish Groupage, has recently donated £1,000 to Think Children to aid their development and will continue to support Think Children through donations and fundraising events in the coming months.

A Personal Connection

Andrew has a personal connection to Think Children through his dear friend Jenny Gadsby, a trustee of Think Children since 2015 and a passionate and committed member of the team till her passing over the Christmas period. The work that Jenny did helped to shape the charity into what it is today and ultimately, helped shape the lives of many children. As a result of her work, she has inspired Andrew to continue in her memory. “Jenny was just a wonderful lady, who`s larger than life character made a positive impact who not only knew her personally, but also through the generous time she gave to the charities she was so actively involved in. We hope to continue our involvement with Think Children and build on our initial donation which we know goes to help our local community”. For more information please contact Wendy Walton-Towle at development@thinkchildren.org.uk or telephone 01636 676887.

Are you ready for the 1st January 2021?

As you may be aware when we come back in the New Year there will be a few changes from January 2021 to the way we ship goods to Europe and Northern Ireland. If you currently ship out of the UK or may do so at anytime in the future this change affects you. See the copy of the poster for the Trader Support Service which gives some information in the upcoming changes and offers assistance for shipping or receiving into Northern Ireland. If you have a GB EORI number you will also need to apply for an XI EORI number for shipping to NI – for more info and to apply for a GB EORI number click here. In order assist in getting prepared for the changes that are coming and to help speed up the process please can you send in the following with any orders that will be leaving the UK (including NI)

January 2021 - Changes

Commercial Invoice. Consignor Address & EORI number/ Consignee Address & EORI number / Invoice Number / Commodity code for each item on the Invoice / Country of Origin for each item on the invoice / Description, Quantity, Cost and currency / Buyer’s PO number / Method of Shipment / INCOTERMS® 2020 / Where from and going to / Signed with Blue Ink & Company Stamp on top of the Signature.
Detailed packing list. List each item contained in the package / package dims and weight / Gross and Nett weights per item / Any shipping marks that relate to the package / Signed with Blue Ink and Company Stamp on top of the Signature.
Advise us if the goods are on the controlled list – As these will require additional paperwork, Certificates and or Licences, and will need to be dealt with differently. To identify if a product that is being shipped would attract any special tariff please check here

This is a learning curve for all of us and we are here to help as much as we can so if you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact us and we will endeavour to assist and resolve any queries.