The Lord mayors message for 2011/2012 is ‘fit for the future’ In a fun twist to the message the truck chosen was from the national truck training school ‘System Training’ with a pair of their best driving instructors at the wheel. IOC became part of 800 years of Royal history dating back to King John when they were alongside the Merecedes Axor and forty four foot flat bed in the nations greatest parade, IOC fellows with IOD members twirling black and white brollies in a sunshine extravaganza. Bowler Hats and transport for the wheels of commerce. Transport and logistics.
Fellows of the IOC joined members of the City branch IOD and took to the Golden streets of the Capital to be part of the Dick Whittington history. A trip of a lifetime on closed roads to negotiate the medieval street plan of the inner city around London Wall, Guild Hall, Mansion House and the Royal Courts of Justice twirling umbrellas for pageantry to an international audience of commerce, banking and law & logistics. This was street closure beyond Olympics 2012.
October 2011
Defence Courier Service Northolt, Middlesex. Never have fellows of the IOC stood so proud as to recognise the morale boost of mail in such difficult environments as in the shadow of the ‘Letter from Home’ statue at the Army Postal and Defense Courier Services HQ, Northolt London.
Northolt British forces post office (BFPO) visit was an insight into the army delivery of mail. Guests of Lt Col Ian Stark, fellows of IOC were treated to an unprecedented insight of the operation that delivers forces mail and bags, both UK and world-wide, secure, top secret and even more secret. Northolt is the last operational air base of WWII, home of BFPO the statue of soldier and mail depicts ‘letter from home’ and was an appropriate spot for the photograph of fellows from TNT, Lewis Day, CitySprint & DHL.
Captain Sip Powers escorted the single site operation tour, much automation, APC depot delivery arrived as we stood there. The site responsible for surface mail, ships on the move and even submarines. Major Chris Violet commander of the Defense Courier Service at Northolt delivered a presentation of secure activities that ranged UK to World-wide. This was delivery service were there was no room for error. Talk of London issues, traffic & security, UK motorway networks, then theatres of war some delivery locations were outside of what fellows deemed possible as air routes were discussed.
Brigadier Deas MBE had organised the visit mindful of army redundancies and future job steps for Royal Logistics Corp (RLC), there was a clear consensus by the fellows of the close match between army and private sector. Training, skill set and ability of the RLC soldiers was a clear match to the private sector logistics industry. IOC will be working hard to facilitate CV match for individuals exiting logistics posts in the army to signpost them to relevant courier companies as miltary redundancies roll out.
Logistics Link North took live warehouse space in Doncaster to portray a range of warehousing, software, packaging and automation systems in a true life environment packed around the edges with two days of lectures and forums. Training focus was the key note lecture of day one, IOC fellow, Dr Mick Jackson, head of the skills council, Skills for Logistics delivered a message of Council move to a Guild.
‘Logistics needs half a million new people in the next six years, we walk all over new trucks to make a buying decision but are we really informed about the training we take for our employees?’ ‘We need informed & active employer demand for training’ said Dr Jackson. ‘Bite sized, manageable junks of mini qualifications, apprenticeships, craft skill recognition for sector specialisation, driving, warehousing, mail & logistics, fleet management.’ Carl Lomas for Institute of Couriers, ‘the Guild vision is clearly taking momentum’
Talk of the national Skills Academy, the framework as a route, university fees pushing nine thousand pounds and a public re focus to vocational avenues set the scene to address an interactive discussion. Industry image and a logistics sector that is almost invisible to the end user were key problems.
September 2011
Winners of the National Courier Awards 2011
Two Wheels – Gary Ormesher – TNT, Barry Warner – CitySprint
Four Wheels – Andrew Batho Pink Express, Brian Lloyd CitySprint, Sewa Singh Lalli – TNT.
Contract – Bryan Attwood – DHL, Steve Grant – Excel and Manni de Jesus – Pink Express.
Office Christopher Dryden – Pink Express, Joanna Haines – CitySprint, Danny Nicholson – Excel and Stuart Selley GLH
Quality Champion Phil Bown – TNT
Military Commendations – Sgt Whalley & Cpl Kendall and finally
Corporate Safety Award – City Link
Steady professionalism rose top of the agenda for judges on the 2011 National Courier Awards. Long service, quality provision, customer testimony were all milestone markers for judge decisions that will show some of the very best of the best for the fifteenth year of the Awards. Transport Minister Mike Penning will again be signposted by postcodes for table numbers. Master Elect Carmen John Older with Brigadier Deas will be dishing out awards. University Pro Chancellor Liz Barnes and Greg Cejar Skills Academy will have news on latest Apprenticeships and employers. A top winner is expected for the legacy of former Transport Minister David Jamiesons Industry Safety award. Nominations for the Contract category were particularly strong, Office as ever very strong and Afghanistan courier activities too secret to mention
Defence Courier Service invitation. Fellows of the IoC have been formally invited to visit the heart of the UK courier operations held at Northolt, Middlesex. A guided tour, an insight to the Military system of the Dispatch and Courier service. If you wish to attend please email your request to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
July 2011
Judges prepare for National Courier Awards 2011
IOC Chairman Carl Lomas MBE comments ‘Our fifteenth year will be a show stopping special event for the National Courier Awards, not one to be missed. Attend and you will be amongst courier companies large and small, network, association and independent. This is the event of the year. Some fantastic nominations are already in but its not to late to get the best of the best nominated from your own team recognised at the Same Day Industries finest celebration of professionalism hosted at the Institute of Directors in Central London. ’
Tracey Worth is putting the finishing touches to the summary of nominations, Richard Howard comments, ‘It’s not too late to get a place, nominate and attend. Stand shoulder to shoulder with the very best.’ In the first instance call Tracey Worth today: 07976 263745. The key categories are Two wheels and Four wheels, Contract and Office Individuals who have exceeded all expectations in their job role. Don’t forget the Corporate Safety Award. Recognition of a company at the highest level for proactive safety delivery. NOMINATE TODAY!
Minister for Transport meets Richard Howard Rush Couriers Chairman of the Judging Panel, Mick Davies – Ears Communications, David Brown - Prestige Couriers, Chris Hodder – BMF, Greg Hoy – Excel Couriers, Neil Michaeloudis - GLH, Carl Lomas MBE – IoC, Ian Mutch – MAG, Justin Moore – CitySprint, Len Rainford – Sameday UK, Jeffrey Ritterband - Lewis Day Transport.
April 2011
Power from the plug in.
Commercial Vehicle show at Birmingham NEC for April 2011 went more van than a London Auto Trader magazine. Ford, Merc, Citroen, Renault and most of the rest had their best on display to tickle the appetite of the truckers who are more couriers than hauliers. Scene at the show was all plug in for electric vision of the future. Load spaces good but a little weight lost to those batteries under the floor. No silence for electric motors on show as PR machine push for cool green was in full flow.
IOC secretary Tracey Worth plugged in for a look over the Renault Kangoo. A little short of seventeen thousand pounds the Kangoo comes with a lease for the expensive batteries. Customers pay the initial price then a monthly fee of about sixty pounds (depending on use) for leasing the batteries. Load space remains 3.5 cubic meters but payload drops to 650Kg to accommodate 250Kg of under floor batteries.
Ian Kerr is set for an IOC courier test to find the truth but the number game will surely be in the congestion charging road tax world of the accountant who may well find a surprising solution for same day delivery on the golden streets of London taxation. Full battery report to come.(Dispatch News April 2011)
March 2011
Lord Mayor's Transport Dinner, Mansion House London
The Worshipful company of Carmen hosted their annual transport dinner at Mansion House in March, Tracey Worth (secretary IoC) rallied IOC fellows to be in force for a gala evening of transport debate. DHL Michael O’Connell, Yodel, UKMail all had input. Len Rainford from SameDay UK, Jeffrey Riterband Lewis Day, Richard Howard Rush Couriers all had words to say on Fuel which was dear to the heart of Bob Russet, Master for the evening who addressed Mansion House on haulage focus to support UK PLC during a time of fuel prices never seen before at the pumps of England. News on apprenticeships in haulage came from Tony Higgins System Training and Greg Cejar chief of the Skills Academy was on the invite list.
John Griffiths, Founder and Chairman of Addison Lee gave a light hearted account of 'cabs to riches' at the IoD London. John had much to say on bus lane access and the right to compete with the black cab on timed journeys across restricted lanes from Heathrow to Central London. Over the years John has also worked with The Beatles, produced three films and a musical that ran in the West End for three years. John recently won an award from Ernst and Young as Entrepreneur of the Year and was also featured in the Christmas episode of Channel 4’s ‘The Secret Millionaire’.
