Familiar faces on TV as deliverymen star in ad
LOUGHBOROUGH folk and delivery drivers Paul Wells and Brett Barnard are among the stars of a new TV advert for the company they work for.
Paul, 55, and Brett, 62, have both worked for ready meal delivery company Wiltshire Farm Foods for six years, and feature individually and together in the new advert.
The pair, who work as drivers for the firm’s Loughborough branch, are joined by colleague Brian Keyte, of Peterborough, dancing and singing their way to customers’ homes in a musical-style ad, to the sound of Bring Me Sunshine, as immortalised by Morecambe and Wise.
To learn their dance moves, the drivers were put through their paces by choreographer and Strictly judge Dame Arlene Phillips.
Paul said: “I’m not normally much of a dancer but I am a fan of Strictly, so thought I would give it a go.
“To get dancing tips from Arlene Phillips was amazing. I hope my invite to take part in the next series of Strictly doesn’t get lost in the post!”
Brett said the experience of the three of them filming together was great fun, adding: “We had a right laugh trying to get our steps right and singing in time.
“There was a lot of bumping into each other – being on a TV set certainly makes a change from the day job!”
Dame Arlene said: “When I got the chance to bring a little sunshine back into people’s lives with a good old song and dance routine I jumped at the opportunity.
“Singing and dancing fills people with such joy and I’ve seen the drivers’ dedication to bringing joy to their customers. They all did really well and did it in their own way – 10s all-round from me!”
Farm Foods customer Lizzie Love, 79, from Ashbourne, has spent most of the past two years indoors as she is classed as clinically vulnerable.
She said: “When I heard Wiltshire Farm Foods was teaching its drivers to dance and bring cheer to isolated customers and that Dame Arlene Phillips was knocking them into shape, I thought what a fantastic initiative!
“I so enjoy Paul singing and dancing outside my house – it certainly makes a nice change from your normal delivery service.”
Paul said how challenging Covid has been for his customers and hopes the advert brings a smile to their faces.
“It has affected customers differently,” he said. “Some were okay with not going anywhere, whereas others were really down that I was the only person that they would see in a week.
“When customers say that they don’t know what they would do without you, that just brings it home that it’s more than just a delivery service - you are a friend to them.”
Psychologist Emma Kenny said: “Loneliness is an emotional prompt and is telling the individual experiencing it that they need to find a source of connection.
“Face to face interaction is necessary if we are to feel happy and healthy and when this doesn’t occur, it can affect an individual’s mental health negatively, increasing stress and lowering mood.”
To book the Wiltshire Farm Foods, delivery service, call 0800 066 3186, or see: