Lorry drivers and transport workers keep the country moving. Yet for many, the reality of life on the road is a hard one. Long hours alone, financial pressure, and time away from family take a serious toll. Truck drivers’ mental health has long been overlooked by mainstream services, which rarely account for shift patterns, isolation, or the culture of the industry. Because of this, many drivers reach crisis point before asking for help.
Breaker Breaker was founded to change that. In 2018, Leanne Lyons lost her husband David, a long-distance lorry driver, to suicide. Like so many others in the industry, David had been silently struggling under pressure, isolated, and without support that truly understood his world. From that loss, Leanne made a promise: no one in haulage should ever feel that alone again. The charity was formally established in 2023, though its roots stretch back to 2019, when the first Breaker Breaker Truck Show drew over 300 lorries and 15,000 attendees.
Support built around real life on the road
Today, Breaker Breaker offers a free 24/7 confidential helpline through Inspire Wellbeing, open to anyone working in or connected to the haulage industry. Drivers can speak with qualified counsellors about stress, anxiety, finances, or relationships, at any time. For those who cannot make that first call, Breaker Breaker can refer directly on their behalf. Since March 2024, the charity has funded over 200 counselling sessions, therefore reaching people who would otherwise never have accessed therapy.
Taking support to the people who need it
At the heart of their outreach is a 45ft mobile welfare hub – a converted trailer offering a kitchen, private nurse’s room, and welcoming seating space. With support from the John Good Group’s Grants for Good programme, Breaker Breaker will expand this work. Funding will cover hub running costs and support the recruitment and training of new volunteers, helping more people become mental health champions across the haulage community.
This charity was born from personal heartbreak – from losing my husband David to suicide, and from a promise to make sure no one in the haulage industry ever feels that alone again. To have our work recognised means so much – not just to me, but to every driver, volunteer, and family member who has shared their story and helped us build this community. We’re a small team with a big mission: to bring hope, connection, and understanding to an industry that’s so often overlooked.
Breaker Breaker is doing something genuinely important in a space that too few people are paying attention to. Leanne has taken an unimaginable personal loss and turned it into something meaningful, practical, and trusted by the very community it serves. Her lived experience, determination, and deep understanding of the haulage industry give this charity a credibility that is very hard to replicate. The mobile welfare hub is an inspired approach because it meets drivers where they are, on their own terms. We are proud to support Breaker Breaker’s next chapter and confident in what they will achieve.
Latest Project Updates
March 2026
Grants for Good Finalist
Breaker Breaker has become one of the top five finalists in the latest Grants for Good round, and will receive a grant between £2000 and £5000 after employees at the John Good Group have voted on their favourite causes.