An interview with Helen Timewell

Meet Helen Timewell – our only female driver.

She moved here from Somerset six years ago to be with her future husband who’s also one of our drivers.

Helen’s entire 26-year career has been spent behind the wheel, either driving articulated lorries or fridge trailers.

The 50-year-old has a farming background and says she’s always had a fascination with lorries.

Although lorry driving is traditionally a male dominated industry Helen says she’s never faced any issues.

“Wherever I’ve worked I’ve always been accepted. If you do the job as well as everyone else, you get respect. I love my job and I love working with the team here. Don’t get me wrong there have been occasions working in the chemical industry where I’ve arrived for a delivery and they’ve been gob smacked that it’s a woman behind the wheel, but it’s only ever been surprise and certainly not sexism.”

“You need a good sense of humour and to be able to give and take the banter but for me that’s one of the best parts of the job, that and being able to see parts of the country that I would never have seen if it wasn’t for the driving. I also drive one of three new trucks, so I am very lucky.”

She added: “I think to make a good lorry driver you need to be patient, enjoy your own company and remember to expect the unexpected and go with the flow. There’ll always be days where traffic’s bad or your load’s not ready.”

“There are more women coming into the industry, my daughter being one of them. When she was a little girl, she used to come with me and now she’s driving trucks bigger than mine and delivering hay and straw in Somerset. Like mother like daughter!”