A UK hospice is keeping its fleet of vehicles on the road thanks to 12V battery chargers donated by CTEK.

Willen Hospice provides free care for adults with life-limiting illness in and around its home town of Milton Keynes, where it was established by a doctor and a district nurse in 1981.

Paul Banner, Facilities Manager at Willen Hospice, reached out to CTEK for advice after problems with one of the vehicles in its fleet. Paul said: "We wanted to put preventative measures in place and better support the wider fleet moving forward."

The hospice's fleet includes cars for its Willen at Home care providers, vans to support its fundraising retail operation and even a lawnmower for its grounds. They are all used daily, including for the collection and transportation of medicines, blood samples and medical supplies.

In addition to supporting operational activities, the nine-strong vehicle fleet plays an important role in enabling Willen Hospice to deliver specialist palliative and end-of-life care to people across Milton Keynes and the surrounding areas. Having vehicles always ready to go is essential for delivering palliative and end-of-life patient care.

To help the hospice, CTEK donated two PRO25 chargers and one CS ONE charger and they are now being used as part of the hospice's vehicle management, enabling the team to safely and efficiently help and prevent vehicles experiencing 12V battery issues.

Paul said: "This additional resilience helps minimise disruption and supports the continued operation of estates services, retail operations and Willen at Home care teams, ensuring essential day to day services and care continue running smoothly.

"Willen Hospice would like to thank CTEK for ensuring the equipment arrived quickly so it could be put into immediate use. We are incredibly grateful to the CTEK team for their kindness, generosity and rapid support.

"These chargers will make a real difference in helping us maintain our vehicles and ensure we can continue delivering our services effectively. The CTEK chargers help maximise vehicle availability by maintaining battery health, particularly on vehicles that may experience frequent stop-start journeys."

Willen Hospice provides compassionate care and support to patients with life-limiting illnesses, as well as their families and loved ones. Services include inpatient care, the Willen at Home care service, wellbeing and therapeutic support, bereavement services, and a range of community-based programmes designed to help people live well for as long as possible.

Paul said: "As a charity, every act of support has a direct impact on the care we are able to provide to local people and their families. Partnerships and donations from organisations such as CTEK are invaluable, helping us reduce operating costs, improve efficiency and maximise the resources available for patient care."

At CTEK we were pleased to be able to support Willen Hospice with equipment to help maintain their fleet, so they are always able to provide the services that are so important to their patients. Reliable vehicle operation is essential for organisations delivering vital community services, and we're proud to play a small part in helping the hospice continue its important work.

Photo: The Willen Hospice maintenance team with their CTEK chargers

More from CTEK Magazine

UK drivers in age divide over new EV mile tax

A generational and gender divide has been revealed amongst UK drivers faced with their Government’s plans to charge Electric Vehicle drivers extra to help replace the lost fuel tax as petrol and diesel sales fall.

UK drivers in age divide over new EV mile tax - CTEK

CTEK to Showcase EV Charging Solutions and Support at Elmässan

CTEK’s booth at Sweden’s leading electrical show for installers will feature our award-winning EV products and a chance to meet our team and learn about the many ways they can help with charging installations.

CTEK to Showcase EV Charging Solutions and Support at Elmässan - CTEK

Why Every Hybrid and Plug-in Hybrid Still Depends on a 12V Battery

Charging a hybrid car battery is not only about the high-voltage drive battery. Hybrid and plug-in hybrid vehicles also use a separate 12V battery to power essential systems and enable the vehicle to start its electronic control sequence. If that battery is flat, the vehicle may not enter its ready-to-drive mode.

Why Every Hybrid and Plug-in Hybrid Still Depends on a 12V Battery - CTEK

CTEK’s EV charge points donated to hospital’s family house

CTEK is proud to be supporting the amazing work of the Ronald McDonald House at Huddinge, where families can stay when their children need healthcare at Karolinska University Hospital’s Astrid Lindgren's Children's Hospital.

CTEK’s EV charge points donated to hospital’s family house - CTEK

Portable Battery Boosters: An Essential Tool for Today’s Drivers

Modern compact jump starters such as CTEK’s new RB3000 and RB4000, now available in the USA and Canada, provide confidence and a rapid restart to get you where you need to be when a dead battery could leave you stranded. For many drivers, a dead battery is still one of the most frustrating ways for a journey to grind to a halt – or not even begin. It can happen at home on a cold morning, in a supermarket car park, at a campsite, outside work or miles from immediate help. Traditionally, the answer was to keep a set of jumper cables in the trunk and hope that another vehicle – and a willing helper – was nearby. Today, there is a smarter, safer and more independent option: the portable battery booster. A portable battery booster is a compact jump starter designed to provide instant starting power to a vehicle with a discharged 12V battery. Instead of relying on another car, long cables and roadside guesswork, drivers can connect the booster directly to the battery, start the vehicle and get moving again in minutes. For modern motorists – whether they drive daily, travel for leisure, manage a work vehicle or simply want reassurance – this makes a booster one of the most practical emergency tools to keep on board. Why portable battery boosters matter Vehicles are more dependent on electrical systems than ever before. Infotainment, lighting, alarms, stop-start technology, dash cams, charging ports and comfort features all place demands on the battery. Add in short journeys, colder weather, periods of inactivity or an ageing battery, and even a well-maintained vehicle can fail to start – often at the worst possible time. Portable boosters avoid that risk. They are small enough to store in the trunk, glovebox, campervan locker or workshop kit, yet powerful enough to deliver the high burst of current needed to start a vehicle. Many also double as emergency power banks and include built-in lighting, making them useful well beyond the moment a battery fails. Key benefits for drivers Independence: A booster lets drivers restart a vehicle without waiting for another car, a neighbour, a colleague or a recovery service. Speed: In many situations, the process takes only a few minutes, helping drivers avoid delays and disruption. Safety: Quality boosters use protection features such as spark-proof and reverse polarity protection, reducing the risk of mistakes during stressful roadside moments. Portability: Modern units are compact, lightweight and easy to store, so they can travel with the vehicle instead of sitting in a garage. Multi-purpose value: USB charging ports and LED lights turn many boosters into practical emergency power sources for phones, tablets, lighting and other essentials. When to boost Portable battery boosters are particularly useful for daily drivers who make frequent short trips, as batteries may not always have enough time to recharge fully. They are equally valuable for families heading away on holiday, tradespeople who rely on their vans, drivers of older vehicles, motorhome and campervan owners, boating enthusiasts, fleet operators and anyone who parks in areas where another vehicle may not be available for a jump start. They also come into their own in seasonal conditions. Cold weather can reduce battery performance, while long periods of inactivity can leave vehicles struggling to start. A booster provides a simple safeguard before an early commute, a weekend trip, a school run or an important appointment turns into an avoidable problem. Why boosters are smarter than jumper cables Jumper cables depend on circumstances drivers cannot always control. You need access to another vehicle, enough room to position both vehicles safely, someone willing to help and the confidence to connect the cables correctly. That is not always realistic on a busy roadside, in a dark car park, on a remote site or when parked nose-in against a wall. A portable booster removes much of that uncertainty. It is self-contained, immediately available and designed specifically for the job. With modern safety protections, clear indicators and compact storage, it gives drivers a more controlled and user-friendly way to deal with a dead battery. Instead of depending on luck, they can carry their own solution. CTEK RB3000 and RB4000: premium reassurance The new CTEK RB3000 and RB4000 battery boosters are designed in Sweden, and now available in the US and Canada, for drivers who want more than a basic emergency accessory. They position portable boosting as part of a complete approach to vehicle readiness: dependable starting power, practical safety features, useful everyday charging capability and the peace of mind associated with a specialist battery-care brand. The RB3000 powers up to 30 starts on a single charge whilst the RB4000 provides up to 45 starts. Once charged up, that power is long-lasting: both CTEK boosters hold power for up to six months, ensuring readiness whenever it’s needed. Both models reflect what modern drivers increasingly expect from emergency equipment: compact design, quick setup, clear usability, robust safety thinking and additional functionality that makes the unit useful even when the car starts first time. In short, they are not just jump starters; they are confidence tools. Peace of mind in the trunk No driver plans for a dead battery, but every driver can prepare for one. A portable battery booster turns an inconvenient breakdown into a manageable pause, helping people get back on the road quickly and safely. For motorists who value reliability, independence and practical preparedness, the CTEK RB3000 and RB4000 offer premium solutions that make sense before the problem happens – not after.

Portable Battery Boosters: An Essential Tool for Today’s Drivers - CTEK

CTEK RB 3000 and RB 4000 boosters now available in North America

October 06 2026 — CTEK has announced that its RB 3000 and RB 4000 portable boosters are now available in North America. Already well received in Europe and Australia, the two models bring powerful jump-starting capability and practical everyday features to drivers across the region.

CTEK RB 3000 and RB 4000 boosters now available in North America - CTEK