28 Aug WWA Electric Vehicles help support local Cornish communities
Once the UK wide lockdown came into force back in March this year we knew a big change was coming. From the way, we were going to work and service projects going forward, to how we were going to continue to support our local communities.
One of the biggest adaptations WWA had to make to ensure the safety of our staff was to begin working from home. This was to ensure that we continued to offer the quality service by which we distinguish ourselves.
We instantly saw the opportunity to utilise our BMW i3 Electric Pool Cars to support our local community. Normally these electric vehicles are busy travelling across Cornwall and the wider South West on our day to day business, but a call from the team at The Victoria Inn, Truro, gave them a new role over these last 5 months.
The popular local pub and restaurant were suddenly unable to open and serve it’s loyal customers once lockdown hit. A pub can be more than just a place for a drink, it can be a crucial place for social interaction for many people, and that interaction can be essential for good for mental wellbeing. Unexpectedly this was seemingly lost for many people.
The WWA electric vehicles have now spent the last few months travelling across Cornwall delivering the fantastic food from The Victoria Inn (Truro), The Norway Inn (Perranarworthal) & The Victoria Inn (Roche) to those ordering take out. This not only brought back a small bit of normality to those who were self-isolating but kept the pub alive when it otherwise may have had to remain shut until further notice.
We spoke to Mark Holden, Inn Cornwall Company Director, about the incredible effect some good pub food can have on a local community.
“We are hugely grateful to WWA for the incredible support they have provided us and our communities during the local down. Our collaborative aim was to provide a service and give access to hot food across Cornwall. Having access to the WWA EV vehicles meant we were able to support thousands of people some of which became reliant on the daily deliveries.
We are so fortunate to be within a community with such supportive businesses around us and Ward Williams Associates are true leaders in that – We can’t thank you enough!
We have had some amazing feedback from people and businesses who have used our service, there have been lots of encouragement letters and thank you cards. Our team have had cakes baked for them, gifts left and even a watercolour painting of one of our delivery drivers with one of the EV cars. These thoughtful moments have kept the team pushing through. The team rose to the challenge of becoming key workers overnight.”
For the team and the electric vehicles, their biggest day was Sunday 21st June, where 965 meals went out from the kitchens in one day and the team clocked up over 1,200 miles across Cornwall! The team have covered areas from Redruth to Falmouth and Fraddon up to Bodmin and have sent out over 25,000 main meals – and serviced over 10,000 homes.
The heatmap below shows the reach of the deliveries across Cornwall.
Mark went on to say how our electric vehicles have encouraged them to take their first steps to a more sustainable future.
“WWA has inspired our company to go greener – so we are having a 22kw EV charging point installed at all three of our pubs The Victoria Inn, Threemilestone, The Norway Inn Perranarworthal and The Victoria Inn, Roche. We have also just placed an order for 3 EV Fleet vehicles with local firm Dales Renault – so look out for the Pub Grub Zoe’s.”
As we start to emerge from the lockdown period into a community with open pubs, construction projects operational and life returning to the new normal the focus of continual support for our local communities from us will not change.
As we have recently become part of the B Corp™ community, their mantra of ‘Business as a Force for Good’ remains stronger than ever for us. Going forward we want to expand our work within the community with broader objectives. This includes supporting career opportunities for all looking for a career in construction and focussing on delivering more zero-carbon developments.
