86 Years’ Service for Retirees Noel and Sandra

They were at infants school together in Rugeley and started with the company within months of each other in 1975.
Now, Sandra Beardsmore and Noel Talbot are retiring on the same day (31 August), having both clocked up an incredible 43 years’ service.

Sandra started her career aged 18 at Rugeley Motors, a garage that Armitage Shanks owned and where its company cars came from at the time.
She said: “I was there nine years, then 34 in the Mailing Department. I’ll miss the people most. I’m a dinosaur, I’ve been here that long!”
She added: “I’ve got no plans in particular for my retirement. I’m going to get out and about more while I’m still fit and healthy. I’m 61 so I’ve gone a bit early.”

Noel started off as a Production Control Assistant, when there were nine colour variants, including avocado, before moving into sales and eventually becoming National Field Sales Manager – Non-Residential.
Also joining the company aged 18, Noel has seen technology become a lot more prevalent over time.
“Communication is a lot easier,” he said. “When I started on the road, you used to have a big blue plastic envelope that you used to post every day with your reports and documents in.
“If you needed to make a call on the road, you used a phone box. We were given a 12 digit code to put in before the 01543 number to make free calls so we had to ring a 23-digit number and that was with those old rotary dial phones so you can imagine how long it took!”

Noel added: “I think that to stay in one company for 43 years means that it’s fulfilled all your needs and I’ve been able to work with a lot of great people.
“Whenever I looked for advancement, opportunities kept coming for me, so I never thought to go anywhere else.
“Why would you leave the market leader? I believe in what we do and that matters to me.”

A selection of photographs from over the years is below.

Sandra serving petrol at Rugeley Motors approx. 1978