The collection and delivery of the boxes from some 3,000 drop-off sites around the UK requires a fleet of several hundred vans working around the clock for a three-month period from October to early January, backed by an enormous logistical operation.

Samaritan’s Purse has now appointed CLM Rental to provide the transport for the 2015 Operation Christmas Child campaign, with up to 200 vans, typically LWB Ford Transits, being required across the country.

To meet this commitment, CLM Rental, the corporate rental arm of fleet management specialist CLM will draw on its multi-supply network, which includes all the leading rental suppliers, with a total of over 1,500 outlets across the UK.

Through this network, CLM can provide vehicle rentals on passenger cars, light commercial vehicles and minibuses, and more specialist vehicles if required, with a suite of rental solutions covering every period from one day to 12 months.

Rob Davies, logistics manager at Samaritan’s Purse, said that CLM’s online system had also been one of the key reasons behind the decision to switch the supply of vehicles this year to CLM from a national daily rental firm.

“CLM provides us with a comprehensive service and one that is very different to that provided by a single daily rental company. Their network means that we can access the appropriate type of vehicle in any part of the country where we need them.

“And the online rental management system means that we have a complete overview of all the vehicle hires, so that we know at all times what’s happening where. With online invoicing and reporting, that promises to provide us with a much better service than the one we had previously,” he said.

CLM will also be adding its own support to the 2015 Operation Christmas Child campaign and is encouraging staff to fill at least 50 shoe boxes with appropriate gifts to be sent to underprivileged children. The pre-printed shoeboxes have already been ordered and once filled with gifts, will be taken to the nearest collection point to the CLM offices in Newport Pagnell.

For more information, or if you would like to support this year’s campaign, please click here https://www.samaritans-purse.org.uk/what-we-do/operation-christmas-child/