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Pallet-Track employees are raising funds for West Midlands-based St Basil’s, a UK charity working to prevent young people becoming homeless.

After voting for St Basil’s as their chosen charity, the 150-strong team at Pallet-Track’s Wolverhampton hub in Millfields Road have pledged to walk and run as part of their efforts to improve physical health and boost mental wellbeing during the pandemic, while at the same time recording their efforts on exercise app Strava.

As part of the ‘Keep Moving’ challenge Pallet-Track will donate 17 pence for every mile completed to St Basil’s, one penny for every year that Pallet-Track has been in business.

Barrie Hodge, head of fundraising and communication at St Basils, said: “We are thrilled that the Pallet-Track team have chosen St Basils as its charity partner and are really impressed with its innovative approach to its fundraising efforts during this difficult time.”

Based in Digbeth, Birmingham, St Basils targets its help at 16- to 25-year-olds and supports 5,000 people every year, 500 of whom are accommodated every night in 42 locations across the West Midlands.

St Basil’s needs to raise £1.2m annually to maintain its support for young people which includes the running of its living and working initiative, its youth village and its outreach apprenticeship schemes.

Despite forecasting a dramatic drop in income due to the pandemic, the charity still managed to raise £1.1m last year.

“Birmingham, for example, is a very young city with the least experienced workforce, many of whom are on very low wages and zero hours contracts, which means it can be incredibly difficult to meet rent payments,” said Barrie.

Nigel Parkes, MD of Pallet-Track, said: “We were very impressed with St Basil’s’ approach to the issues facing the young people that it helps on a daily basis.

“Equally, business has a major responsibility to step up to help provide support for the kind of stability that makes a difference to young lives through the employment opportunities that are out there.

“I am also incredibly proud of our team and the Keep Moving initiative which I’m sure will help to make a difference, whether it’s walking to work or running around the park. All of this goes towards boosting their wellbeing while at the same time assisting the important work that St Basil’s is doing.”

For more information on St Basil’s, visit https://stbasils.org.uk.

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