InPost Newstrade and Smiths News have become the first ever organisations to receive NewstrAid’s Excellence Plus Award, which recognises the “exceptional and long-standing commitment to supporting the charity and the wider newstrade community” by both companies.
The awards were presented in July and accepted by Mark Gilhespie, supply chain director at InPost Newstrade, and Jon Bunting, CEO, as well as Simon Gage, commercial director at Smiths News.
For well over 100 years, both InPost Newstrade (previously Menzies Distribution) and Smiths News have played a vital role in supporting NewstrAid, it said. Alongside being corporate sponsors, both help raise awareness of the charity across the retail network, collect lottery subscriptions and charitable donations, support retailer recruitment campaigns and encourage employees to sign up as welfare volunteers and area committee members.
Neil Jagger, CEO of NewstrAid, said: “InPost Newstrade and Smiths News have been outstanding partners to NewstrAid. They help us reach retailers across the UK, promote our services to colleagues facing hardship and actively encourage participation in our fundraising and welfare initiatives.
”Their commitment has a genuine and lasting impact on the lives of the people we support, making both companies truly deserving recipients of our first Excellence Plus Awards.”
Gilhespie added: “We’re honoured to receive this special recognition from NewstrAid. It reflects the dedication of our colleagues and long-standing relationship with the charity. I’m proud to accept this award on behalf of everyone at InPost Newstrade.”
Bunting said: “We’re proud to have such a long association with NewstrAid and I’m delighted to accept the award on behalf of all my colleagues at Smiths News who support the charity and its work.”
Launched in 2023, the NewstrAid Excellence Awards recognise individuals and organisations that make an exceptional contribution to the charity. The new Excellence Plus Award, introduced in 2026, represents the charity’s highest level of recognition and is reserved for truly outstanding and sustained support.
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