Welcome to the Wellbeing Event
at LeShuttle Freight Village
Imagine stepping into a bright spring morning on 28 April 2026 at the LeShuttle Freight Village in Calais/Coquelles, right beside the Eurotunnel terminal. Trucks from all over Europe are parked in neat rows under a clear blue sky, while the modern facilities buzz with quiet energy. The award-winning secure truck parking area — runner-up in the 2026 ESPORG Excellence Awards, Gold-certified Safe & Secure Parking Area and one of the first Green Parking sites — has been thoughtfully transformed into a genuine “Home Away from Home” for the European Wellbeing Campaign. Under the banner “Drive Safe. Park Safe. Live Well.”, organiser Alice Simon and host Aude Bourdel created a full-day experience that felt both professional and deeply human.
The day was built on two parallel tracks running simultaneously from morning until evening, so everyone — leaders, transporters, and especially the professional drivers — could take part in exactly what they needed.
Morning – Formal Conference in “The Place to Bee”
Inside the bright, modern “The Place to Bee” conference space, the room filled with industry leaders, European officials, transporters, drivers and partners. Large screens showed campaign visuals, fresh coffee was served, and the green-and-white LeShuttle branding created a warm, professional atmosphere.
Aude Bourdel opened the morning with energy and warmth, welcoming everyone and setting a collaborative tone. She then introduced the first speaker: Deborah Merrens, Commercial Chief Officer of LeShuttle Freight. Deborah delivered a heartfelt and inspiring introduction, explaining how LeShuttle Freight integrates care and wellbeing at every single step of the driver journey — from secure parking to the 35-minute crossing. Her words immediately connected the audience to the purpose of the day.
A short, powerful video followed: “Care and Wellbeing Integrated at every step.”
The footage showed real drivers resting, smiling, and feeling supported, bringing the message to life in a very emotional way.
The keynotes continued with high-level insights. Ana de Miranda, Policy Officer in the Road Transport Unit, DG MOVE (European Commission) — gave a compelling and human-centred presentation. She painted a clear picture of the daily reality for Europe’s truck drivers:
“Around 400,000 professional truck drivers need a place to stop, rest, eat and sleep every single day… We only have space for roughly 300,000 of them. These are not statistics. These are colleagues. Neighbours. People doing an essential job for the European economy.”
She spoke about the upcoming 2026 revision of the EU Safe & Secure Parking Areas (SSPA) standard, which will make wellbeing criteria (physical and mental health, healthy food, gender-inclusive facilities, connectivity and dignity) official, auditable requirements.
Dirk Penasse, General Manager of ESPORG, then took the stage to present ESPORG’s mission and the European Wellbeing Initiative. He praised LeShuttle Freight Village as a shining example of best practice, highlighting its Gold certification and Green Parking status, and explained how secure parking is becoming strategic infrastructure for safety, the energy transition, military mobility and the future attractiveness of the profession.
Druselia Betea, Head of the European Wellbeing Initiative at ESPORG, followed with a short, dynamic and highly interactive sensibilization moment. She actively involved the entire audience in quick, practical demonstrations covering nutrition, hydration, sleep hygiene, physical exercise and stress release, allowing everyone to experience simple techniques and immediately feel the benefits of the Wellbeing Initiative on their own skin.
Right after, Bruno Poupinet, kinésithérapeute & ostéopathe, took the stage for a lively, hands-on presentation. With clear enthusiasm and expertise, he gave practical demonstrations and simple tips, clearly showing the immediate advantages and concrete benefits of the Wellbeing Initiative for drivers’ physical and mental health on the road every day.
Alice Simon, in her double role as event organiser and presenter, then delivered a dedicated presentation on LeShuttle Freight. She detailed the company’s concrete commitments and daily actions to support driver wellbeing — from the secure parking facilities and services at LeShuttle Freight Village to the seamless integration with the Eurotunnel crossing — showing how everything ties together to make the transmanche journey safer, more comfortable and more attractive for professional drivers.
All Day Long – Interactive Wellbeing Village in the Truck Parking Area
While the conference unfolded inside, the real heart of the day was happening outside in the secure LeShuttle Freight Village. Between the rows of parked trucks, colourful wellbeing stations had been set up under tents and canopies. Soft music played, the smell of fresh smoothies and healthy food filled the air, and professional drivers moved freely between activities from early morning until evening.
- Health check-ups — quick but thorough screenings for blood pressure, posture, fatigue and more, with clear explanations and practical road-safety tips.
- Relaxing massages and kinesiology sessions in comfortable, quiet corners to ease the physical strain of hours behind the wheel.
- The Challenge Route & Smoothie Bike — a fun, energetic highlight where drivers pedalled special bikes to blend their own fresh, healthy smoothies, laughing and competing lightly while getting movement and nutrition.
- Delicious, balanced food stations serving thematic wellbeing buffets — colourful salads, protein-rich wraps, fresh fruit and nourishing snacks.
- Giveaways and practical tools — wellness kits, hydration bottles, rest accessories, posture aids and campaign merchandise that drivers could take straight back to their cabs.
You could see the impact immediately: drivers leaving the zone with straighter shoulders, relaxed smiles, and a real sense of being valued and cared for.
Afternoon – Round Table in “The Place to Bee”
Back in the conference room, Vincent Ducros (Head of RSE/ESG at Eurotunnel) moderated a lively, honest and solution-oriented round table on “Le bien-être routier et l’attractivité du métier de chauffeur dans le contexte transmanche” (“Driver wellbeing and the attractiveness of the driving profession across the Short Straits”). The diverse panel — Sébastien Rivera (Secretary General, FNTR), Caroline Baugniet (HGV driver), Druselia Betea (ESPORG), Toby Ovens (Owner & Managing Director, Broughton Transport Solutions) and Yann Agneray ( Eurotunnel) — engaged in a candid discussion covering the main barriers (post-Brexit formalities, theft risks, migrant pressures, isolation, language issues and post-pandemic expectations) and what weighs most heavily on long-haul drivers’ wellbeing today.
They explored priority levers to improve attractiveness in the transmanche context, how to restore pride and meaning in the profession, and ways all stakeholders could collaborate better. The conversation also looked ahead to positive signals and a vision for the future of transport (new talent profiles, HR innovations, electric trucks, AI). The exchange was dynamic, with audience questions, real-life testimonies and a strong shared sense of co-responsibility. It left the room energised with concrete ideas and a clear commitment to collective action.
Closing & Eurotunnel Experience
As the afternoon drew to a close, Aude Bourdel invited everyone to continue the day in the LeShuttle Freight Village. Two minibuses shuttled participants to the secure parking area where a beautiful thematic wellbeing buffet awaited — healthy, delicious food served in a relaxed setting right among the facilities drivers use every day. For those who wanted to go further, guided site visits of the Eurotunnel facilities (LeShuttle’s parent company) began at 13:30, giving visitors a full behind-the-scenes look at the seamless 35-minute freight crossings and integrated driver services.
By the end of the day, the LeShuttle Freight Village had become much more than a parking area. It felt like a living example of what is possible when wellbeing is put at the centre of the transport sector.
LeShuttle Freight Village — runner-up in the 2026 ESPORG Excellence Awards, Gold-certified SSPA and Green Parking pioneer — once again proved that excellence in driver wellbeing is not just a vision… it is already happening here.
Drive Safe. Park Safe. Live Well.
European Wellbeing Campaign
In partnership with ESPORG & LeShuttle Freight
Organised by Alice Simon – Hosted by Aude Bourdel