Colleagues from across the business gathered earlier this month to celebrate our inaugural all business Long Service Celebration. Sites already highlight landmark years of service with individuals, but this is the first time the business has brought all those with 15 years or more of service for one big celebration. Co-workers were treated to an evening of celebrations which included a special meal and presentation.

Rachel Baldwin, VP HR, helped spearhead the first Long Service Celebration, and said: “Across our sites we have people who have served with distinction from 15 to 50 years and we wanted to do something special to show everyone how much they are appreciated. So what better way than a day of pampering and treats – all followed by a specially selected meal and a celebration with colleagues and friends which included site leaders and other senior leaders.

“Our people are at the heart of everything we do and our most valuable asset. To be with us for a long period shows not only loyalty but dedication and commitment. I hope the day and celebrations reflected how grateful we are as a business to our people.”

The evening included a specially selected menu from the Passion for Food team which showcased the many new and innovative dishes the team are sharing and working on. Colleagues also enjoyed a drinks reception, fun games and thoughts from senior leaders. The celebrations also comprised of a video around the history of the business and names of all our long servers with photos.

Rachel added: “These kinds of events help reflect on what we are doing and must do to help attract and retain talent across our business – including developing and growing our people. I am already looking forward to celebrating more long servers in the near future. I also want to thank everyone who attended and helped make the event a huge success, including all our team members who worked hard to make this celebration a triumph.”