Visit from the CEO of the Caravan & Motorhome Club

We recently had the pleasure of welcoming Harvey Alexander, Chief Executive of the Caravan and Motorhome Club, to the Vanlife Conversions workshop in Colchester.

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During Harvey’s visit, we were able to walk him through our conversion process and show how a van progresses from an empty shell to a fully bespoke home on wheels. From the early design work and technical planning to cabinetry, electrical systems, upholstery and the final finishing touches, every stage is completed with the way our clients want to travel in mind.

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We also introduced Harvey to members of the team and showed him some of the builds currently taking shape in the workshop Edie & Ragnar. It gave us the chance to explain not only what we build, but why we build it this way: creating comfortable, practical and dependable spaces that give their owners the confidence to travel further and enjoy more freedom. One of the most valuable parts of the visit was having the opportunity to talk about the changing world of campervan travel.

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More people are looking for flexible ways to explore, whether that means spontaneous weekends around the UK, longer tours through Europe, working remotely from the road or spending more time outdoors with family and four-legged companions.

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Those changing lifestyles are shaping the vans of the future. Travellers increasingly want intelligent layouts, dependable off-grid systems, efficient use of energy and storage, and interiors that feel every bit as considered as their homes. These are all areas we are passionate about, so it was fantastic to exchange ideas with someone who shares our enthusiasm for helping more people experience the freedom of touring.

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Harvey joined the Caravan and Motorhome Club in 2015 and became Chief Executive in February 2026. His visit was a great opportunity to bring together our experience of building bespoke campervans with the Club’s long history of helping people enjoy the great outdoors.

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Building a great campervan is only the start. Once it leaves our workshop, the real adventure begins—discovering new places, planning routes and making memories on the road. The Caravan and Motorhome Club is a big part of that experience, helping people explore the UK and Europe through its network of campsites, travel services and member support. Harvey’s visit gave us the chance to share what today’s campervan owners are looking for and discuss how the industry can support them throughout their travels.

His visit came at an exciting time for Vanlife Conversions, with several recent handovers, new projects arriving at the workshop and our national recognition for service excellence at the HSBC awards. It was a good opportunity to pause and reflect on how far the business and our team have come.

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A huge thank you to Harvey for taking the time to visit, meet the team and learn more about what we do. We really enjoyed showing him our builds and sharing our ideas for the future of campervan travel. We were also incredibly grateful for the kind words he shared about our team and the business afterwards on LinkedIn.

Read what Harvey had to say here:

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“I also spent time visiting a conversion company - co-owned by a former Captain in the British Army, Oli. It was a privilege to be shown around the workshop where the magic happens. Oli runs his business with the precision and discipline you’d expect from his background, ensuring he produces reliable adventure vehicles that customers can truly trust.

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As a small business, he’s able to keep a razor-sharp eye on quality control and cost efficiencies, translating to incredible value for his customers. I was highly impressed by the level of testing each vehicle undergoes from an electrical, gas, and plumbing perspective - proactively eradicating failure points to minimize continuous maintenance.

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Watching his team at work actually made me want to roll up my sleeves and get involved! The entire process is so organised and well-structured, allowing them to maintain a great pace and deliver orders on time. I spent some time with Gemma, their in-house designer, diving into paint samples, furniture finishes, and layouts that give customers a perfect visualisation of their future vehicle. Most notably, the tech integration is top-tier - featuring seamless WiFi and a digital display for everything. The team can even remote-access certain control panels to troubleshoot digital or subsystem issues while customers are out touring! Oli also shared some fantastic takeaways for our many members who want to convert their own vans - which is exactly how his company started, like so many others.

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Seeing these different operations in the same week was a powerful reminder of our industry's strength. There is absolutely a place in the market for both large-scale, innovative manufacturers and highly skilled bespoke artisans. Ultimately, their customers share the exact same goal: creating lasting memories in the great outdoors. Whether you are touring in a state-of-the-art motorhome, a hand-crafted custom conversion, or as I have - so enjoyed in the past - pitching up with a roof tent or a tailgate tent, you are doing it your own way”

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Harvey Alexander on LinkedIn