Meet the Milton Keynes man who helps to make dreams come true

Richard Hayes is part of the team behind The Dream Machine, a van which is currently travelling around the country meeting people and giving them money towards their ambitions.

The vehicle has been on the road for just over six weeks, meeting more than 400 people and giving away around £3,500.

The project was founded by HelpBnk, which is owned by Simon Squibb, an entrepreneur and digital creator who started his own business at the age of 15 while he was homeless.

Richard, who came up with the idea for the project, drives the van and meets people who ring the vehicle’s doorbell.

“The idea for the project came when I was trying to solve a challenge Simon was facing - he couldn’t physically reach enough people to help them start their businesses or chase their dreams,” Richard said.

“I realised I could so I came up with the idea of taking a mobile doorbell across the UK to meet people where they are.

“That not only allowed Simon’s mission to scale, but also gave me the chance to live out my own dream of travelling the UK and helping people along the way.

“I drive the Dream Machine and meet people who come to ring the doorbell. I talk with them, hear their stories, and help however I can.

“I’m also involved in a lot of the content we create for the project across different platforms, including other doorbell locations around the country.

“My role is all about connecting with people and bringing those real, inspiring moments to light.”

No target has been set for the GoFundMe page which has been started to raise money to enable the project to continue.

Money raised would be used to cover fuel, maintenance for the vehicle, overnight stays and developing an app to allow the public to track the progress of the Dream Machine.

Richard said one of his favourite stories from the project so far was a man who came to the van having designed a lay-down electric bicycle.

“It wasn’t something the market had embraced, and he came to the van feeling pretty deflated,” Richard said.

“But we had a great conversation, and by the time he left, he was full of confidence and ready to push ahead with his Kickstarter campaign.

“Seeing that shift in him, that renewed belief in what he could achieve, was incredible.”

Tentative plans for the future of the project have been made with Richard explaining: “For now, we’re continuing the UK tour throughout the year, visiting towns and cities up and down the country.

“Beyond that, we’re planning a second UK tour, and we’ve also got our sights on taking the Dream Machine to Europe and potentially even America.

“That roadmap spans the next five years, and it’s all about reaching more people and helping more dreams become reality.”

You can find out more and donate towards the project through the Dream Machine’s GoFundMe page.

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