OEG Offshore couldn’t contain itself when asked to assist a Scottish charity which is helping save and improve the lives of thousands of children in Malawi.
The company, which provides cargo carrying units and A60 cabins to the energy industry, has donated a 20ft shipping container to F.R.O.M. Scotland (Famine Relief for Orphans in Malawi) which will be used to transport vital medical equipment and supplies, clothing and other essential items to the south east African country.
In addition to gifting the container, which has been specially branded with the F.R.O.M. Scotland logo, OEG Offshore will also cover the cost of shipping the container to Blantyre, Malawi when it is filled and dispatched early next year.
“Jeanette Forbes, CEO of PCL Group contacted us on behalf of the charity to ask if we could help out by lending them a container to take a shipment of equipment to Malawi,” said David Cooper of OEG Offshore. “When she told us about the work they do we really wanted to get involved. Rather than just lend them a container we decided to go a step further and donate one. That way it can be used for other purposes in country.
“Our staff really got behind this project too and raised more than £700 by holding a charity raffle.”
F.R.O.M. Scotland was set up in 2005 to provide aid to orphaned and vulnerable children suffering from disease, hunger and starvation as a result of the famine which struck the country. Since then it has raised more than £250,000 and sent two containers full of donated medical and other equipment to the country. Many of the projects it supports are led by Dr Tracey Morse from Pitcaple, near Inverurie. She has lived and worked in Malawi since 2000 as a Health Initiative Project Manager on behalf of Strathclyde University with funding support from the Scottish Government.
It currently feeds 1500 children every day through feeding stations and orphanages and has set up many other projects including clinics, classrooms and facilities to provide clean drinking water. The charity also provides support to hospitals, clinics and orphanages following flooding in early 2013.
“This is a fantastic donation from OEG Offshore,” said Dave Thomson of F.R.O.M. Scotland “We had approached Jeanette to see if she could help get us the loan of a container because she is so well connected in the oil and gas sector. We never expected that we would get one donated as an outright gift to us and it now means that all we have to do is fill it – and keep on filling it. The work we do there helps thousands of children and their families and this will support that.”
Jeanette said: “The oil and gas industry has again demonstrated its commitment to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) when it comes to supporting good causes. I hoped that OEG Offshore would help if this was in-line with their charitable giving procedure. The charity carries out lifesaving work and I’m very proud and appreciative that companies like OEG Offshore who operate in a worldwide market have contributed to saving the lives of orphaned children in Malawi.”
Caption: David Cooper, OEG Offshore, and Jeanette Forbes, PCL Group with the container which will carry vital equipment to orphans in Malawi. Picture courtesy of the Press and Journal
For further information, please contact Kate Yuill, KEY Communications
E: kate@key-communications.com
T: 077577 39089
Or
Jeanette Forbes
E: Jeanette.Forbes@portlethen.com
T: +44(0) 1224 576977
