A SWINDON start-up based in the revamped Carriage Works launched a new app that lets people book professional van drivers in the area to move large items.

The team behind VanHeroes spent months in the WorkShed fine-tuning a safe and convenient way to find handymen with vans to move furniture, dispose of waste, or pickup from stores or orders from websites like Gumtree, Facebook Marketplace and eBay.

Founder and CEO Shane Moore said: “This is one of the few modern-day services that is still in desperate need of innovation for both parties. It’s taken us over a year to get to this point, but the wait has been worth it.

“We’re all genuinely excited about what we’ve created, both for our drivers and customers.

"This will be a real game-changer for the local community and we have plans to continue to make our services quicker, safer and more convenient for everyone.

"This company prides itself on the ability to connect users with the services they need and offer on-demand flexible work for professionals looking to build a steady income as a self-employed individual.

"Van drivers are the backbone of our service so we make sure they are looked after too. We run regular meet-ups to give new drivers an opportunity to meet each other and find out what our service is all about. We don’t charge a membership fee to access jobs so it’s a very accessible and flexible way to find work.

"We’re currently working on some exciting partnerships with local companies to bring even more benefits and perks to our drivers."

Users can book urgent jobs in as little as an hour before they're needed while other jobs can be scheduled in advance and arranged via a secure chat function. All bookable vehicles have a valid MOT, tax and insurance.

The company behind the VanHereos app used to be known as Tote and won a place on Nationwide Building Society’s Startup Mentoring Scheme.

They hope to follow in the footsteps of mega-popular ordering apps Uber and Deliveroo by expanding the service across the nation following the successful Swindon launch.

Visit vanheroes.co.uk/join-us for more information.