Cornwall haulier’s lorry now carries Noah Jordan’s story

Somewhere on the road network right now, a refrigerated trailer is carrying a nine-month-old boy’s name past thousands of drivers who have never heard of him. By the time most of them reach their destination, some will have looked twice, wondered what “Miles for Mito” means, and searched for the answer.

Conway Bailey Transport, based in Scorrier, has joined forces with The Noah Jordan Foundation to launch Miles for Mito, a campaign that will see specially branded trailers travel across the UK and beyond, raising awareness of mitochondrial disease and the important work of the Cornwall-based charity.

A trailer with 100,000 miles a year to give

Conway Bailey Transport is one of the South West’s largest transport and logistics employers, running more than 250 drivers across an operation that spans the UK and Europe. Through Miles for Mito, that network now carries Noah’s story far beyond Cornwall.

The Noah Jordan Foundation was set up in memory of Noah Jordan, a little boy from Cornwall who died in 2024 aged just nine months from POLG mitochondrial disease, a condition that attacks the liver and brain and for which there is currently no treatment or cure. His legacy now drives work to fund medical research, raise awareness and support affected children and families, with the aim of developing treatments and, eventually, finding a cure.

The first vehicle in the campaign, Miles for Mito #01 – Noah’s Lorry, carries the Foundation’s branding alongside the Miles for Mito identity and recognition of Conway Bailey Transport’s support. It began its journey yesterday, Monday 7 September, the first of what will become a small fleet, with future trailers carrying the names of other children lost to or affected by mitochondrial disease.

Every mile tells a story

The idea behind the campaign is simple. As Noah’s Lorry moves around the road network, every journey is a chance to introduce someone new to mitochondrial disease and to Noah’s story.

Ben Jordan, founder of The Noah Jordan Foundation and Noah’s father, said the thought of the lorry travelling thousands of miles carrying his son’s name is powerful.

“When Conway Bailey first offered to brand a trailer for us, we were absolutely delighted. But the more we spoke about it, the more we realised there was an opportunity to create something far greater than a logo on the side of a lorry,” he said.

“Someone might see the lorry on the A30 in Cornwall, the M5 near Birmingham or the A1 near Newcastle and, perhaps for the first time, wonder what mitochondrial disease is. That one moment of curiosity matters. Awareness leads to understanding, understanding builds support and, ultimately, that takes us closer to a brighter future for children and families affected by these devastating diseases.”

From diagnosis to a promise kept

Noah was born on 5 June 2023 at Treliske, healthy and, in his family’s words, always smiling. In February 2024 his parents noticed yellowing in his eyes. What followed was an admission to hospital in Cornwall, a blue-light transfer to Birmingham Children’s Hospital, and ten days of tests before doctors identified Alpers-Huttenlocher Syndrome, a rare and terminal form of POLG mitochondrial disease.

Noah died on 19 March 2024, one month and a day after his first hospital admission, at the Alexander Devine Children’s Hospice in Berkshire.

“When Noah died, I made him a promise, that the impact we would have on these diseases in my lifetime would be his legacy and I will not let him down,” Ben said. “We are incredibly grateful to Conway Bailey for helping us honour that promise, believing in our mission and enabling us to take Noah’s story, together with the stories of other children lost to and affected by these cruel diseases, further than we ever could alone.”

📷Ben Jordan and Lee Wills with Noah's Lorry, Miles for Mito

Spot it. Share it. Discover the story.

The public is being asked to play a part too. Under the campaign’s “Spot it. Share it. Discover the story.” concept, anyone who safely photographs Noah’s Lorry is encouraged to share where they spotted it and tag The Noah Jordan Foundation and Conway Bailey Transport, using the hashtag #MilesForMito.

Lee Wills, Operations Director at Conway Bailey Transport, said the company wanted its support to go beyond branding.

“Our vehicles each travel around 100,000 miles across the UK and Europe every year, so being able to use that reach to tell Noah’s story and raise awareness of mitochondrial disease means a great deal to us,” he said. “We were deeply moved by Ben and his family’s story and their determination to turn such unimaginable loss into something that can help other children and families. We are incredibly proud to have it representing The Noah Jordan Foundation on the road.”

Every sighting adds to a growing picture of Noah’s story travelling the country, one delivery run at a time. People can support the campaign by donating through the Miles for Mito JustGiving page, helping fund research, raise awareness and support families, in pursuit of what the charity calls the extinction of Mito, one stomp at a time.

📷Noah's Lorry, Miles for Mito