Meet the UK's 2025 Owner of the Year Runner-Up: Nick from Camper Charter

The 2025 Camplify Owner Awards celebrate the people who make our community brilliant – and this year's Owner of the Year Runner-Up for the UK proves that the best campervan experiences start with personality, proper preparation, and a genuine love of the open road.

Nick from Romsey, just outside Southampton, runs Camper Charter with his wife Michelle – four distinctive vans, each with their own name and character. From a 1969 Volkswagen T2 called Florence to a mile-munching T5 named Belle, Nick's fleet has travelled to Belgium for F1, tackled the NC500 in Scotland, and island-hopped to Guernsey. Not bad for vans that started life as the family rugby transport.

From the touchline to the open road

On how it all started...

"Belle was my rugby and football coaching van," Nick explains. "Bags of rugby balls, bags of footballs, cones, all the bits and pieces – and the children. I trained George at rugby and Jack at football. Every Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday."

When the boys grew up, Nick realised the T5 sitting idle wasn't earning its keep. But this wasn't purely about profit – it was about building something for the future.

"The campervan business is my retirement plan. If I can run four vans – thinking about getting another two next year – I can do that when I'm 50, 60, 70. Rather than going off and playing golf when I retire, this keeps the money coming in and the bills paid."

Belle got converted by Salisbury Camper Converters near Stonehenge. Then came Luna, then the "old girls" – Florence (1969) and Rosie (1976). Each one tells its own story.

Four vans, four personalities

Nick's fleet isn't just vehicles – they're characters. And he writes the listings that way.

"Hi, I'm Belle," the T5's listing begins. "I'm looking forward to going on an adventure with you."

"Everyone talks about the name," Nick says. "They don't say 'the van' – they say 'Belle' or 'Rosie.' It makes a real connection."

Hire Belle, Luna, Florence, or Rosie →

Each van serves a different adventure:

• Belle (2014 T5 long wheelbase automatic): The "mile muncher" with cruise control and captain's seats – drove the family to the Alps for skiing. "You put her on a motorway and she just eats up the distance."

• Luna (T5 short wheelbase, 6-speed manual): Nippy and urban-friendly – been to Northumbria, done the NC500, brilliant for city exploring.

• Florence (1969 T2): "Quite posh" with a fridge and fairy lights – taken to Guernsey for a 12-day island escape.

• Rosie (1976 T2 late bay): Beautifully basic – no fridge, just a hob and a glorious full-width bed. Pure, old-school camping.

Where the vans have been

Nick's hirers have taken the vans to places he never quite expected.

"Tyler, a student from Southampton, wanted to go to Spa for the Formula 1. And he decided he was going to do it in 1976 Rosie," Nick laughs. "Off he went to Belgium in a nearly 50-year-old camper. Brilliant."

A Canadian chap took Florence up to Scotland because he'd been gifted a one-metre plot of land – just enough to call himself a Laird. He drove the 1969 T2 all the way up, used a cleaned-out fuel can to top up the oil (the engine's tucked away at the back with no room for a proper jug), and came back beaming.

Closer to home, the vans have been to the Jurassic Coast, Cornwall, Hadrian's Wall, the Brighton Ironman, a vegan festival in Devon, and countless weekends in the New Forest – which is just 15 minutes from Nick's doorstep.

"We had a family take Belle up to Edinburgh for a marathon," Nick says. "Two small children, so the van became their clubhouse. Kids inside on the tablets doing colouring, safe and warm, while the marathon happened outside. They could watch the event and look after the little ones."

Nick's top tips for fellow owners

On photos and presentation...

"Photos have a big impact. I go to the New Forest and set up the scene – camp chairs out, breakfast laid, fairy lights on. I even put a book on the bed with reading glasses, like you've just climbed in for a read before sleep. If you can picture yourself doing it, you're more likely to book."

Want to nail your listing photos? Check out our photography guide for owners.

On handovers...

"I spend proper time on handovers – usually 30 minutes, sometimes two hours if someone's curious. There's a table in the van where you have to slide a little mechanism to fold the leg out. Unless someone shows you, you'd just break it. Little things like that."

Nick also sends his "Camper Guide" packs in advance so hirers can read up, especially for the classic VWs.

"With the old girls, you've got to drive them properly. You've got to use the gears, listen to the engine. It's not like driving a Golf. There's this big steering wheel and you've got to reach across…"

For first-time campervan hirers, that extra care makes all the difference.

On not being precious...

"A couple from France took Belle out and drove through what I think was a low wall – hit the front, the mirror, the petrol cap, the sliding door, and the rear panel. You've got to be prepared that they're going to get dinked. Don't get cross with them – it was an accident. Focus on solving it."

The best bits

On pinch-me moments...

"Emma Peacock hired Belle for her partner. It made her cry – she was so happy. When she came back, she gave me a big hug. Then she went and bought her own van. She still texts me asking questions. Just yesterday her partner messaged: 'I need to MOT, what do I do?'"

Nick still finds joy in the unexpected connections.

"There's a lady who lives at the end of the road. She's taken two vans now and she's nearly 70 – full of beans. Every few weeks I get a WhatsApp asking what I think about this bed versus that bed. About two months ago, we were walking the dog and she cycled past, stopped, and that was another 20-minute chat. Lovely."

On who actually hires...

"I thought it would be people heading to the South Coast for a quiet week. But we've had lads going to climb mountains in Edinburgh, a student driving to Spa for F1, families using the van as a marathon clubhouse, and hirers from Australia, France, Canada – even the Isle of Wight."

Four students drove Luna to Edinburgh. Nick assumed it would be a boozy trip. "They came back telling me about all the mountains they'd climbed. Not what I expected at all."

A proper family affair

Camper Charter isn't just Nick's project – it's the whole Harris clan.

"Michelle helps turn the vans around and keeps me on track with who's coming when. She runs the diary. George, who's 16, helps clean the vans. Jack lends a hand when I need an extra pair of hands for a DIY job. It's a little family business."

After 36 years together, Nick and Michelle have found something new to talk about beyond the kids, the house, and the dog.

"It's really good from a relationship point of view. Gives us something else to chat about."

Nick's local recommendations

With the New Forest just 15 minutes away, Nick knows the area inside out.

"We're members of the Camping and Caravanning Club – those certificated sites are small, quaint, and really good value. We went to Corfe Castle recently, stayed in a tiny CS site, and walked back along the clifftops. Absolutely glorious."

For anyone heading to the South Coast:

• The New Forest: Homesley near Lyndhurst – quiet, authentic, donkeys wandering through at breakfast

• Dorset: Corfe Castle and the Jurassic Coast – combine with the steam railway

• Further afield: The NC500 in Scotland – Luna's done it and came back singing

Hire one of Nick's vans

Whether you fancy Belle's motorway-eating comfort, Luna's nippy charm, Florence's vintage elegance, or Rosie's back-to-basics beauty – Nick's ready to share the adventure.

Browse Nick's fleet and book your trip →

You can collect from Romsey or, if you'd prefer, have a chat with Nick about delivery options to your first stop.

Got an RV gathering dust on the drive? See how Nick turned his coaching van into a thriving side hustle. List your vehicle on Camplify →

Meet all our 2025 UK Owner Award winners and discover more inspiring stories from our community. See all winners →