Latest news with #AndyRichards
Yahoo
20-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Duncan Aviation leads record food drive in Southern Michigan
Duncan Aviation led the charge in a record-breaking effort to combat hunger in Southern Michigan, according to a community announcement from the South Michigan Food Bank. The Fort Fills the Fleet Challenge, held throughout May, saw businesses within the Fort Custer Industrial Park, 4950 W. Dickman Road No. A1, Battle Creek, come together to fill the food bank's fleet of 17 vehicles with food and resources. The fleet travels more than 150,000 miles annually, delivering food across eight counties. This year, the challenge generated more than 95,000 meals, marking the most successful event yet, according to the announcement. Duncan Aviation contributed the highest percentage of donations through fundraising, food donations and volunteer hours. The company will be recognized on the food bank's commemorative plaque and receive a keepsake plaque for their facility. We want your news: How to submit community announcements 'I'm incredibly proud of our team members for their generosity and commitment to supporting the South Michigan Food Bank,' Andy Richards, COO of Duncan Aviation, said in the announcement. 'Whether volunteering, donating, or raising awareness, their efforts reflect the compassion and teamwork that define our culture. We're also grateful to our neighbors whose involvement in the challenge inspired even greater participation. Together, we're working to enrich lives and reduce food insecurity in our communities.' The challenge resulted in $17,664.25 in monetary donations, 18,645 pounds of donated food and 128.25 volunteer hours, according to the announcement. The South Michigan Food Bank, headquartered in the Fort Custer Industrial Park, partners with more than 380 agencies to serve the counties of Barry, Branch, Calhoun, Hillsdale, Jackson, Kalamazoo, Lenawee and St. Joseph. Other participating companies included Nexthermal Corporation, TRMI, BASF, Prairie Farms Dairy, Rosler Metal Finishing, Magna International and Binger Shipping Supplies. This year's challenge saw double the business participation compared to 2024, making it the most impactful event yet, according to the announcement. For more information about the South Michigan Food Bank and its programs, go to or call 269-441-4442. This story was created by Janis Reeser, jreeser@ with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of the information gathering, review, editing and publishing process. Learn more at This article originally appeared on Battle Creek Enquirer: Businesses double down to fight hunger in Southern Michigan Fort Fills the Fleet
BBC News
13-06-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Ex-Welsh trade union leader George Wright dies aged 89
Former senior Welsh trade unionist George Wright has died at the age of was a key figure in setting up the Wales TUC, the umbrella body for Welsh unions, in the 1970s, later saying it was "the first act of Welsh devolution".He led calls that resulted in the creation of the Welsh Development Agency (WDA), to encourage business development and investment in Wales at a time when traditional heavy industries were leader of the Unite union Andy Richards said Wright was "an icon" for trade unionists while ex-Labour cabinet minister Lord Peter Hain called him a "giant of the Welsh trade union movement". Originally from Birmingham, George Wright became a trade union official at the British Leyland Longbridge car plant before moving ranks through the Transport and General Workers Union (now Unite) and being promoted to be the union's regional secretary for Wales in at Transport House, just off Cardiff city centre, he set about bringing together several trade union committees to establish a unifying trade union body in faced opposition from within the union movement outside Wales but successfully set up the Wales TUC in 1974, becoming its first general was an early advocate of devolution, campaigning in the 1979 poll, when Wales said "no", and in 1997, when the result was "yes".Wright said later: "I'm a firm believer that the creation of the Wales TUC was the first act of devolution in Wales. We put Wales on the map." Andy Richards, former leader of the Unite union in Wales, said Wright was "an icon of the trade union movement and one of the key figures in creating a Welsh identity for movement in Wales"."As a young trade unionist myself in the 1970s, I was so in awe of this man who would come to our meetings and always speak to us in Welsh a bit - and remember he was from Birmingham – and create an incredible buzz by saying that we should have our own union structures made and designed in Wales."You would think he was a Welshman – he was pushing Welsh identity all the time."George was the prime mover in setting up the Wales TUC and was supported by thousands of members working in engineering, the steel industry, the coal mines and car manufacturing across the country." 'Passion' Richards explained that Wright was also a strong supporter of inward investment and worked with the former Labour prime minister, Jim Callaghan, and the WDA to bring the Ford car plant to Bridgend."George Wright had a passion for the Welsh Development Agency and you cannot under-estimate the benefit that the WDA brought to Wales and the Welsh economy in the 1970s and 80s – and George played a major role in that."Created in 1976, the WDA was scrapped 30 years later with its functions absorbed into the Welsh government. Former Labour UK government cabinet minister Lord Hain also paid tribute."He was a giant of the Welsh trade union movement in its heyday. "I'll always be grateful for his support when I sought to be the Neath Labour Parliamentary candidate in 1990, even though he was on the right of the labour movement and I was on the left."George Wright is survived by his wife Margaret, daughter Jackie, four grandchildren and one great grandchild.
