Ashby Site Unveils Vintage-Inspired Soapbox for Ashby Derby

Our Ashby team entered a Soapbox race over the weekend and it was a brilliant success! The team were looking for opportunities to connect with the local community and seized the chance to get involved with the local Soapbox event, organised by neighbours in the community.

The idea was simple yet exciting: utilising recycled materials from the warehouse to construct a Soapbox kart, not only promoting our business and colleagues within it, but also highlighting our dedication to environmental responsibility in the process.

The team constructed their soapbox kart to resemble “The Morris”, our vintage Howard Tenens truck. The process started with preparations at the Ashby site, with the team conducting checks ahead of the journey through Ashby. Upon arrival to the event, the team set up their stall area to showcase the cart which attracted lots of the community visitors. Several younger fans enjoyed sitting in the Go-Kart and practising with the steering wheel before the team’s trial run.

The drivers included; Lizzie Abell our Customer Service Supervisor who had the idea to enter the race, our Health and Safety Manager, Damian Stankiewicz and finally Ashby’s Administration Apprentice, Isla Stewart. The trial run had Damian at the wheel, achieving an impressive time of 35.8 seconds. Lizzie then took to the track and achieved the best time of the day at 27.67 seconds. Isla was up next for the final run, which featured some thrilling jumps. She nailed it! Despite a few wobbles, she stayed in control and finished with an impressive time of 29.20 seconds. What a performance!

The team were thrilled to receive medals at the end of their run, and commented on the extensive support form the crowd watching; ‘It felt like half of the Howard Tenens Logistics team was there, cheering them on with chants of “HT HT HT!”.’

Engaging the entire Ashby team was a priority for the group. Ashby wanted to harness the unique skills and creativity of each individual, turning this project into a true representation of our collaborative team spirit. From scoping sessions to hands-on building, everyone had a role to play in bringing the Soapbox kart to life!

The team even enlisted the help of local businesses in Ashby to help source any additional materials required and worked together to ensure the smooth build process.

After such a successful project, the team are said to be planning ahead for next year’s event!