Coronavirus
Update - 01/04/21
As the world prepares to start to unlock, from the latest lock down, you can safe
in the knowledge that Lee Distribution's operating model has allowed us to
continue to operate, safely throughout the pandemic. We have been providing
help and support to local businesses of all sizes as they have needed to adapt
and change their own working models. We will continue to be here should you
need further assistant, be it, telling customers you are re-opening or advertising
a new post lockdown sale to entice the customers back. Here at Lee Distribution
we can help.
Update - New Lockdown - 01/01/21
Our teams have continued to work throughout the pandemic, with extra safety
measures in place. We are pleased to say none of our team have tested positive, whilst some have had to isolate it has been through other contacts and not work related. We remain committed to helping local businesses, large and small across Central Lancashire as they once again change their operating models and hopefully as restrictions start to ease once more in Spring. If you require any further information please don't hesitate to contact us.
Update - New Lockdown - 03/11/20
Having reviewed the most recent guidance we are pleased to say our delivery teams can continue to work, whilst maintaining extra COVID precautions. Throughout the pandemic we have worked closely with our advertisers to ensure they are supported and happy with the work we are doing. As always we will keep this decision under review and if necessary we have the option to pause delivery.
Update - On Moving Forward - 01/10/20
Our delivery teams have continued to work during the pandemic, always following the latest government guidance. Our teams still remain vigilant and are taking extra precautions whilst delivering, we have also increased the number of delivery team members to ensure we have sufficient cover in place should people need to isolate. I'm pleased to say, to date, we have had nobody test positive and nobody who has needed to self isolate.
Update - Normal Service Resumed - 13/07/20
I'm pleased to say we have now resumed normal service and expect all deliveries to take place on time. Our teams still remain vigilant and are taking extra precautions whilst delivering but this should have little to no impact on our delivery schedule.
Update - Delivery Completed - 10/07/20
Owing to the poor weather, delivery of the April - June booklets has been completed a little later than initially planned but our delivery teams have been working non-stop to deliver booklets to 135,000 homes during a very difficult and trying few months. We would like to thank all of our advertisers for supporting us during these times and we look forward to working with you again in future.
Update - Print Deadline Delayed - 28/05/20
With a little over a month left before our print deadline, we have taken the decision to delay our next print deadline until 30/06/20. This is to allow businesses to re-open and fully assess their advertising needs. Delivery of the July - September booklets will be delayed but we expect all July booklets to be delivered during that month.
Statement - 10,000 FREE LEAFLETS - Offer - 25/04/20
Do you have a mountain to climb before you can re-open?
Need to tell people your operating model has changed?
We can help. Like many of our advertisers, we are a local, family run business so we understand the challenges you currently face and we want to help. During Coronavirus we have been there for our advertisers; setting up a scheme to promote the buying of gift vouchers, to use when the lock down finishes, using social media to promote businesses which are still open or have changed their operating model and offering, for no extra charge, the opportunity to spread the cost of advertising via a direct debit scheme.
Well now we want to help people start to plan their return to work, or help publicise changes you have made. To do this we are offering 10,000 leaflets designed and printed FREE OF CHARGE. All you have to do, is pay for delivery. And no, we haven't increased delivery prices to compensate, it's our standard delivery fee of £30 per 1,000*.
Our delivery teams are currently working within government guidance, delivering advertising materials across Chorley, South Ribble and Greater Preston, you can find out more information via our website.
*This offer relates to 10,000, single sided A5 leaflets printed on gloss 135 gsm paper. It is anticipated there will be no more than 3 proofs created during the design phase, more may be chargeable. The leaflets must be delivered alongside our booklets before the end of June. You can choose which areas you would like to cover. Payment for the delivery must be made upfront and the total cost is £300.
Statement - Resuming Delivery - 23/04/20
As I explained in my previous statement, as a company we have been able to operate throughout the government restrictions, just as Royal Mail and delivery services have, but after speaking with a lot of our advertisers we decided it best to take a 3 – 4 week break from delivering. I've previously laid out our thinking and decision making around the limited risk post and this sector faces, this can be found in our previous statements.
After speaking with many businesses over recent weeks it became clear a large number of people continued to operate within the restrictions, with a large number adapting their business model to accommodate the restrictions and an increasing number of people looking to return to work over the coming days and weeks. We have tried to respond accordingly too with special offers, an increased social media presence and the ability pay via direct debit, at no additional cost.
We have now only returned to delivering on a limited basis and are currently delivering much less than we would on a 'normal week.' Of course some of our delivery team fall in to high risk categories and therefore are unable to deliver themselves, some have children not able to attend school so are unable to return themselves and some have made a personal choice not to deliver. Our limited service will continue for the next few weeks and we have a plan in place once restrictions are eased to quickly ramp up delivery to clear any delivery backlog.
As part of the return to work we have asked our delivery team to take extra precautions when delivering including;
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Limiting the amount of time spent delivering each day to reduce overall contact.
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Where possible, avoid delivering during the busiest parts of the day.
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Wear gloves whilst delivering and ensure good hand hygiene is followed.
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If any symptoms develop, the team member must stop delivering immediately.
Statement - April - June Booklets - 01/04/20
As a precaution we have paused delivery of our April - June booklets for 2 weeks. We await a government update due by 13/04/20 regarding the lockdown. To be clear all booklets will be delivered and whilst we are still able to deliver booklets, we have taken the business decision to delay delivery. This is to allow time for those advertiser who have been impacted by the restrictions to re-open before we start to advertise their services.
Statement - Supporting Our Customers - 25/03/20
As a local, family run business based in Leyland, we understand this is a challenging time for our customers and are determined to support them as best we possibly can. We have not suddenly stopped delivering nor have we reduced our services overnight, instead we are here to support local businesses when they need it most. That is why in mid-March we contacted all of our customers are offered the following, free of charge;
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The option to help spread the cost of their advertising by setting up a monthly direct debit.
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Additional social media advertising, promoting those businesses that were still open and those that had changed their operating model.
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Signposting businesses to government incentives and schemes which were available to help them.
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Assurances regarding our ability to deliver booklets and why we would be delaying delivery of our April booklets by at least 2 weeks.
Statement - Delivery of Booklets - 24/03/20
We have now had chance to read, understand and reflect on the government advice issued on 23/03/20. Although this is a quickly changing area and we will endeavour to update this page as often as advice is changed or updated. When the new measures were announced on 23/03/20 we immediately halted all delivering until further clarity was provided.
Our delivery team are all self-employed and due to the nature of their work, they are unable to work from home. Many rely on the income to provide for their families and most do not qualify for any support or statutory sick pay. Our industry/business is not cited in the latest government mandate to close; this is predominately aimed at retail businesses and those organisations where there are gatherings of people. The full advice can be accessed via the Government website on; https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/874732/230320_-_Revised_guidance_note_-_finalVF.pdf
We have also read at length the Government guidance issued to employers and businesses, updated on 24/03/20. Again accessible via the Government website on;
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-to-employers-and-businesses-about-covid-19/guidance-for-employers-and-businesses-on-coronavirus-covid-19
There are several areas of the advice and guidance which apply including;
Staff should continue to follow existing risk assessments and safe systems of working; there are no additional precautions needed for handling post or packages.
Individuals have been advised they can leave their home;
One form of exercise a day such as a run, walk or cycle. This should be done alone or only with people you live with.
Travelling to and from work, but only where work absolutely cannot be done from home.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-52014472 24/03/20
We have therefore concluded there is no restriction placed on delivery of our booklets and following government advice, post/mail appears to be very low risk and no further precautions are needed for handling it. We will therefore allow our delivery team to complete delivery of any outstanding booklets, assuming they are well and not self-isolating. At the time of writing this there are some 1,500 booklets (24/03/20), to be delivered before the end of March, with extra precautions put in place;
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We have reminded all staff of the importance of good hand hygiene and asked them to consider using hand sanitiser during their delivering.
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We will only be allowing staff to work for a very short period each day.
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We will only complete the absolute necessary deliveries this month.
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We have recommended staff where gloves when delivering, as an extra precaution.
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Anyone who displays any symptoms of coronavirus, a new continuous cough or a high temperature, must self-isolate and stop delivering immediately.
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Once the March booklets have been delivered, our April booklets have been delayed, with a view to resuming delivery later in the month.
If you have any further questions please don’t hesitate to contact us directly.
