Utilising the wealth of knowledge and experience of industry veteran Geoffrey Bray and a trio of founding members, Hope for Tomorrow, a national charity dedicated to bringing cancer treatment closer to patients’ homes by providing a mobile chemotherapy unit to every oncology unit within the UK, has launched its 11th Mercedes-Benz-based vehicle.
Annually FIAG, a not-for-profit organisation, plans to make a donation to Hope for Tomorrow, but the charity tapped into the advice available in drawing up a specification tender document for its second-generation units to reflect feedback received by patients and medical teams since the first unit was launched eight years ago.
The FIAG team helped draw up the bodybuilder tender document providing technical assistance and also assisted with evaluating the responses and compiling a shortlist of bodybuilders. Following a site visit, Bristol-based WH Bence Coachworks was selected as the preferred business to specify and build the trailer-based chemotherapy unit on a Mercedes-Benz chassis and cab.
Geoffrey Bray said: “Based on Hope for Tomorrow’s requirements, the FIAG team used its collective experience in assisting the charity to compile a high-level tender document utilising best practice and delivering a range of added value benefits. A tightly defined specification made it straightforward for bodybuilders to respond.
“We helped Hope for Tomorrow step-by-step through the whole tender process and are delighted to have played a part in the development of the charity’s second generation of chemotherapy units.”
Bray, who is also a Hope for Tomorrow patron, added: “The costs involved with running fleets are enormous, and one of FIAG’s key roles is to reintroduce into the fleet management process individuals with a clear understanding and the necessary skill and knowledge to deliver professional fleet management.”
Each mobile chemotherapy unit costs £260,000 to build and maintain for the first three years. It is the charity’s dream to have a mobile chemotherapy unit serving every county across the UK helping as many cancer patients as possible by reducing the miles they have to travel, the associated parking costs and waiting times for treatment and allowing them to have their treatment closer to home.
The charity’s founder Christine Mills said: “FIAG offered to help and its expertise and advice enabled Hope for Tomorrow to put together a thoroughly professional tender process, that achieved our objectives of obtaining value for money and working in partnership with one of the UK’s leading bodybuilders. We are very pleased with the outcome.”
