A CONSORTIUM of leading charities has signed a new three-year agreement with Vauxhall Motors to supply new vehicles across its combined fleet of over 2,300 vehicles.

Vauxhall beat off stiff competition from other major motor manufacturers to re-secure the contract after the Consortium, led by Barnardo’s Corporate Transport and Insurance Manager Terry Loizou, went out to competitive tender on behalf of 14 different charities.

As well as the famous children’s charity, the Consortioum represents charities in an integrated purchasing strategy that includes the fleets at HelpHeH HelpHel

Help the Aged, the Prince’s Trust, the British Heart Foundation, Cancer Research, the Wildlife Trust and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, all of whom enjoy the same competitive buying terms, regardless of size.

The bulk of the three-year agreement will comprise of Corsas and Astras, the majority of them diesels, but the charities are able to select Vauxhall vehicles that suit their individual fleet strategies and can use funding methods from outright purchase to contract hire and leasing.

Terry Loizou, the founder of the integrated purchasing strategy, said there were three main reasons why Vauxhall had been successful in winning the contract.

"Vauxhall vehicles have extremely competitive whole life costs, and a major factor was the two year, 30,000 mile service interval on diesels and the two year, 20,000 mile service interval on petrol cars.

"Secondly, from an environmental perspective all the diesel engines are Euro-IV compliant with very low carbon dioxide emissions and Vauxhall is also able to offer an alternative fuel range in LPG vehicles.

"And finally Vauxhall offered a fresh and innovative model range to meet all our business needs, including commercial vehicles.

"Overall, this approach has been instrumental in helping drive down overall fleet costs considerably for the Charities’ Commission," he said.

Vauxhall and Saab fleet sales director Maurice Howkins said the agreement with Barnardo’s and the Charities’ Consortium carried on a long-standing business relationship.

"We are delighted to be supplying vehicles to Barnardo’s and the other charities within the Consortium and in being instrumental in helping drive down their fleet operating costs through the very competitive whole life costs of our vehicles," he said.