Mainfreight - Community Involvement

Community Involvement

Since the very beginning Bruce Plested has instilled within the Mainfreight culture a strong community responsibility with an emphasis on early learning and achievement through education.

Duffy Books in Homes was developed by author Alan Duff and is designed to introduce children in lower decile schools to the magic of reading by giving 7 books a year to each child that they can keep and enjoy. Mainfreight got on board as one of the founding sponsors and Bruce Plested maintains his involvement as Chairman of the Board. It is based on the belief that the children respond so well to the program because of the sense of ownership and empowerment that having books of their very own gives to them. This fosters an on-going love of reading and in turn learning. This programme has given away 7 million books in New Zealand since 1996 and Mainfreight has exported this philosophy to sister branches in Australia and the USA with great success.

The Life Education Trust is another endeavour that Mainfreight are involved with. Every year - with their endearing mascot Harold the Giraffe - The Life Education Trust trailers visit hundreds of schools throughout New Zealand promoting good health and raising awareness of health related issues that face young New Zealanders. Lots of activities and interactions with the tutors and Harold make it a memorable and fun experience for the kids and means that the programme is an extremely successful marriage of entertainment and education.

Mainfreight Auckland has had a longstanding and extremely close association with Bairds Road Primary school for a number of years. So close in fact that the school controversially chose to change its name to Bairds Mainfreight Primary in 1997.Other branches have followed suit and have their own special relationships with schools in their areas.

Mainfreight also run an in-house scholarship programme for children of team members who are entering university for tertiary study.