IT was an historic moment when BBC Radio 2 presenter Sarah Kennedy coined the phrase "white van man".
Love them or hate them, thanks to Sarah they have become part of the English language and a way of life on British roads.
To mark her contribution to the van industry and with a sweet irony the first Ford Transit Owners' Club has made her its honorary president.
On receiving her presidency from the cab of a van, Sarah said: "As president, I shall be keeping an extra-beady eye out for White Van Man antics!"
Peter Lee has founded the owners' club to mark 40 years of success of the Southampton-built Ford Transit - the only van in Britain to have been a market leader its entire lifetime.
He said: "Due to my van archives and collections of thousands of models, I have always had dealings with van owners and the commercial vehicle team at Ford. Over the years, I must have been asked a thousand times whether an owners' club existed.
"Transit's 40th birthday this year has confirmed that I am not alone in my passion for the van. To have Sarah as our honorary president is a double whammy for all things that are wonderful and British!"
For more information on the new Transit Owners Club, visit: www.transitvanclub.co.uk
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article