Cleanzine: your weekly cleaning and hygiene industry newsletter 18th April 2024 Issue no. 1110
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North West cleaning volunteers services to Manchester food charity
North West-based Under Pressure Cleaning is supporting Greater Manchester charity The Bread and Butter Thing by volunteering its expert cleaning services to fully clean, wash and disinfect the charity's fleet of seven food refrigeration vehicles which are used to deliver food parcels to people on low income.
The Bread and Butter Thing helps over 8,000 registered families across Greater Manchester and Darlington through a weekly affordable food service using surplus donations from across the food industry. Since the Coronavirus pandemic, the charity has seen a 460% increase in demand in April alone, and is now supporting more than 3,700 households each week.
"The impact of the COVID-19 crisis has hit everyone hard, so just imagine how difficult it is now for those people who needed the help of The Bread and Butter Thing before the pandemic," says Under Pressure Cleaning managing partner Peter Heseltine.
“The charity delivers food to families who are struggling to afford everyday basics through a fleet of refrigerated sprinter vans designed to transport food products. These vehicles are what people's food is being transported in, so we want to help them and the charity by making sure they are properly cleaned and disinfected, especially when there is a global health crisis taking place."
Despite several weeks of hot and sunny weather, the Under Pressure Cleaning team attended TBBT operations hub in Trafford Park on Saturday 6th June when the weather turned dark and heavy rain was pouring - not that this put the team off their volunteer work.
The floors and shelving of the vehicles' storage areas were fully swept before being physically scrubbed using a water-based cleaning detergent and then rinsed using a high-powered pressure washer.
The team then cleaned the driver’s cabin and windows, and once the internal areas were dry, Under Pressure Cleaning delivered its decontamination process using its electrostatic spraying equipment to disperse multipurpose disinfectant bactericide, TR50, which is proven effective against Coronavirus.
Finally, each vehicle received a professional external cleaning, first receiving a wash using the water-based cleaning detergent and then rinsed using a high-powered pressure washer.
TBBT operation's manager Rachel Reid-Fernandez says: "What a fantastic job the guys have done. We must ensure our vans are clean and safe and they have achieved this for us. It is brilliant that they have given up their own time and energy to help us.
“We hope that we can continue to work with Under Pressure as the results are just what we need to transport our food safely to our members. Thank you so much for your help."
TBBT is also supporting other charities from across the North of England from Eggcup in Lancaster, to Open Kitchen Manchester and Food Cycle as well as projects in Teesside. TBBT is currently redistributing 65+ tonnes of surplus food each week - that's more than 150,000 meals a week.
Peter emphasises: "Even with the Covid-19 crisis there is always time to lend a hand and help those more in need. We wanted to do our part as a responsible company to help others in the North West, and I would like to reach out on behalf of TBBT to other businesses in the area who may be able to help them with the important work they are trying to do."
Our image shows Under Pressure Cleaning using The Victory Handheld Electrostatic Sprayer. www.victorycomplete.com
T: 07824 332964
W: www.under-pressure-cleaning.com
4th June 2020