Mercedes-Benz Vans launches ‘Vantasy Football’ to bring lonely van drivers together through sport

Mercedes-Benz Vans and ex-Sky Sports football pundit Chris Kamara today launched Vantasy Football, the UK’s first five-a-side football tournament to bring van drivers together through team sport to improve their mental well-being.

It comes as the new Under the Bonnet from Mercedes-Benz Vans reveals van drivers spend up to 25 hours a week alone with no one to talk to while a third (35%) have three or fewer conversations a day at work – compared with the national average of 27.

Almost nine in 10 (87%) said they felt lonely at work and almost half (47%) said loneliness was a regular occurrence in their working day. Two thirds (65%) said they suffer with depression or anxiety – four times the national average.

The report, launched to mark the start of Mental Health Awareness Week (13-19 May) Meanwhile 70% of van drivers agree having someone to talk to makes them feel better and one in five (21%) said taking part in team sport helps improve their mental wellbeing.

To help tackle the issue teams can apply to take part in the Vantasy Football tournament, the UK’s first football tournament exclusively for van drivers, which takes place at St George’s Park, England’s football training ground, in August.

The five-aside event will be hosted by TV star Chris Kamara, 66, who has faced his own battle with isolation and loneliness after being diagnosed with apraxia, a condition that causes difficulty with speech and communication.

He said: “Spending time on your own, not talking to people, these things have a real impact on mental health. I know what isolation does to you.

“Sport is such a major part of my life and my recovery. The camaraderie of sport – being part of a team – is such a great way to overcome loneliness.”

Paul Murphy, a van driver at Alliance Healthcare UK, said: “As a driver, the amount of time you spend on your own can sometimes make you feel like you’re living in your own head with no one else – particularly those who undertake longer routes and only have a few conversations every day.

“Without talking to people, one small problem can fester in your mind over the day. And then before you know it, it’s snowballed into a worry that wouldn’t otherwise pose you any problems.

“That’s why it’s essential to give drivers a space for people to talk about what’s going on in their lives and share the burden of what might be on their mind – whether that be through nights out or getting together to play team sport.”

Loneliness and mental health issues are being exacerbated as businesses seek to fulfil the ongoing growth in demand for home deliveries. The drive for round-the-clock deliveries has seen a 37% increase in the number of van drivers on UK roads since 2012.

According to the Under the Bonnet report, which polled 2,000 business owners and 500 van drivers, 79% of business leaders say the rise in online sales from platforms such as TikTok Shop, Vinted and Depop, will have an impact on trading over the next 12 months.

And almost half (49%) say they will have to rely more heavily on van drivers to transport goods and deliveries than before these companies existed.

The report also revealed over half of UK van drivers spend 50 hours a week on the road, compared with the national average of 36.4 hours for a working week.

Robert Veit, MD of Mercedes-Benz Vans in the UK said: “The amount of van drivers on the road is increasing, and our Under the Bonnet report found that they are spending more time alone in their van.

“We’ve launched Vantasy Football – a football tournament exclusively for van drivers – to help improve the mental wellbeing of van drivers alone on the road by connecting them with like-minded colleagues off the road, through team sport.

“At Mercedes-Benz Vans we’re proud of the work that we’re doing to keep businesses and communities moving – and always being on the side of van drivers through everything the new day throws at them”.