Bill Goodwin

Briggs Equipment has joined forces with The Prince's Trust to give disadvantaged youth the practical and financial support they need to move into work, education or training.

The forklift supplier has pledged GBP100,000 (USD167,471) to support the trust's vital work.

Between now and 2018, Briggs will donate GBP25,000 (USD41,867) annually to the trust, making it a patron of the charity. HRH The Prince of Wales is president of the charity.

As patron of the trust, Briggs will also participate in fundraising projects like Million Makers, a national competition where aspiring entrepreneurs in the UK create a mini-enterprise that will enable them to turn seed funding of GBP1,500 (USD2,512) into a profit of GBP10,000 (USD16,747). The aim is to collectively raise GBP1 million (USD1.67 million) for the trust.

Teams participating in Million Makers will present their business plan to a panel that will determine who will secure the initial capital investment before the competition gets under way this month. The final results will be announced in September.

The Briggs Equipment team will comprise seven new sales development executives located throughout the UK. They will be mentored and coached by senior managers as they set about improving their business acumen and hone their team working skills, creativity and negotiation expertise.

"It is vital that we develop new sales talent that can not only appreciate our customers' changing requirements, but also work closely with them to develop relevant, cost-effective solutions," says Briggs Equipment sales director Bill Goodwin.

"In an ever-changing marketplace, competitive edge and a customer-centric approach is essential to our new sales team's involvement and Million Makers will help springboard a new generation of sales talent into our business," he adds.