In Memory

Joan Lewtas

22 May 1926 - 29 October 2019

Harold Lewtas

5 June 1922 - 6 November 2017

“The most incredible people I have ever had the pleasure and privilege to have known”

My Grandparents where the most incredible people I have ever had the pleasure and privilege to have known. Every Saturday & Sunday, School holidays, where spent with my Grandma and Granddad, some of the best and most memorable times of my life, at the age of 13 I fully moved in with them and lived there until I left for University at 18, and they were so supportive, caring, absolutely Amazing after the death of my Dad, their Son, Andrew in 2004.

They were the most incredible people, their love for each other was amazing, together facing everything the wold could throw at them, with the motto that a cup of tea is the solution to every problem, even today, I find myself correcting peoples English as my Grandma used to do (quite annoyingly at the time) to me, and every time I find myself doing it, it makes me smile, to know that they had such an amazing impact on making me the man I am today.

This business was built on their ethics, which became mine, through being absolutely inspired by them, Harold, my Granddad, originally a Yorkshire Man, was the Electrical Engineering Manager at Dunlops, which used to be on Dunlop Road in Speke, L24, where Liverpool Airport now stands, he was the last man standing when the factory closed down, and we still to this day, have a video of him on BBC News in the 80’s, in a JCB knocking down the last bricks of the factory – He always said, “Be nice to people on your way up, as you see them again on the way down” and never a truer word said.

My Grandma, a Primary School teacher, was a really special lady, Loved her Garden, Baking and The Isle Of Man, where her cousin Lottie lived, as an example of the amazing people my Grandparents were, they would visit the Isle of Man 4 times a year to help Lottie around the house, with the cleaning and Gardening, as well as spending most of their spare time fundraising for St Michaels Church in Garston and Mossley Hill Scouts – Some of my best memories are our trips to the Isle of Man.

In 2016 when our Insurance Company entered liquidation, these very special people stepped forward and invested in the business, to prevent us needing to obtain credit, and then, as testament to how truly special they are, they told me that the investment was my inheritance, they wanted to see it go to good use while they were alive, so for me, it is only too fitting that Lewtas Logistics Group should be a continuation of their memory and name, as without them, I wouldn’t be who I am today and neither would Lewtas Logistics Group.

Every time I make a decision, speak to one of our team members, walk into the office or even look at our vans driving around, I feel proud, I feel privileged and I feel very humble at the time and love they put into me, to allow me to be able to achieve what I have achieved, and build a business which focuses on the people. which focuses on giving people opportunities, from all backgrounds, with no discrimination or preconceptions, just a truly Joan and Harold Lewtas, approach.

My Grandma often said, she needed to write all of her sayings in a little book for when she wasn’t here, and I really wish she had, however, one of the most fitting quotes, is “it costs nothing to be kind” and “treat others how you would like to be treated yourself” and I like to think that I embrace these daily.

Every day I run Lewtas Logistics, it is like the weekends I spent with my Grandparents as a child – Full of laughter, full of enjoyment but getting work done, and when problems occur, solving them over a cup of Yorkshire Tea, and I think, that this motivation keeps me driving the business forward, to be truly the best environment, for everyone, where people are people, not a number, where their problems do matter, but where as a team, we can also be part of the solution, and for my Grandparents, knowing that is how I wanted Lewtas Logistics to be, made them very proud, but not nearly as proud as I am, of them.

Written By Daniel Lewtas