Poppy Bilderbeck
A former Miss England finalist is training to become a lorry driver as a result of the current shortage in the UK.
In 2018, Milly Everatt reached the finals of the Miss England beauty pageant. However, after the coronavirus pandemic and Brexit hit, the 22-year-old was inspired to become a truck driver, having grown up driving tractors on her father's farm.
Alongside helping ease the current shortage of drivers in the UK, Everatt hopes her new job will help break stigmas surrounding women being heavy-duty vehicle drivers, and prove that they aren't only operated by '40-year-old men'.
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In 2018, Everatt reached the finals for Miss England, having got into it because of her mother and sister's experience in the modelling industry.
'My older sister had done Miss England and I thought about doing it. When I entered online I never thought it would go further. I was surprised when I get a call back. I was only 18 at the time. It made me more confident in speaking to an audience, I got used to speaking with adults. It brought me out of my shell,' Everatt said.
While she didn't take home the crown, the former Miss Lincolnshire was awarded the title of Miss Charity after she raised the most money for charities and other good causes.
Alongside pursuing her modelling career, Everatt said becoming a truck driver and getting her HGV license has always been a lifetime goal.
'I should’ve done it at 18,' she said, 'But I was doing my A-Levels and then the pandemic happened so I put it off. It’s something that I want to have under my belt. I have horses so it could help for that and I’ll can use it to take grain in – it’s something I’ll use everyday while I’m on the farm. The shortage of HGV drivers last year really spurred me on, it made me want to get it again.'
Everatt could soon drive lorries weighing up to 44 tonnes, as she is currently training for her Class 1 and Class 2 HGV license.
Addressing the gender imbalance in the lorry driving industry, in which it is currently estimated that women only make up 1-3% of HGV drivers, Everatt explained: 'I think we’re in modern times and there’s nothing to stop girls getting involved in that kind of thing.
'It’s not the norm but it should be. It’s also something people don’t think about often, it’s not thought about enough in feminism. I know some farmers daughters who don’t do anything to help their parents farm. Agriculture has been forgotten about by feminism.'
Everatt hopes that becoming a truck driver will help 'break[,,,] the stereotype'. 'I want to prove its not just 40-year-old men that do this job and if it inspires other women to do the same, that would be amazing,' she continued.
Everatt said there is 'a lot to do to get a HGV licence' and 'much more than your average driving license', and she is 'currently focusing on the theory side'.
'I've been having a go of lorries on the yard and I'll soon be out there on the roads all being well. But when I first started to learn, it was funny when I hopped out of the lorry. I’m quite little and everyone laughed,' she said.
While working towards her HGV license, Everatt is also planning to apply for Miss England again this year. She recently went on a trip to Mauritius with five other Miss England finalists.
'The trip to Mauritius recently was a much needed break from the farm and the wet and windy British weather. The farming side is a bit of a curve ball I suppose, I know I don’t look like a farmer but I really enjoy it and I'm not afraid to get my hands dirty.'
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