M&S Newport colleague celebrates 60 white Christmases

Liz Osborne, a shining star at our Newport store is celebrating her 60th year of holiday magic with M&S.

Beginning her career in 1961 in ‘Ladies Lingerie’, Liz has experienced many roles over the years, including 25 years working in the stock room of the store, and now wears the crown of being one of the longest serving colleague in the business.

Following her 25th anniversary with the retailer, Liz attended an event in London, which is held annually to honour and celebrate long-serving colleagues. Reflecting on the event, Liz commented: “This is a magical memory I’ll never forget. I met so many colleagues celebrating a similar journey and I can’t wait to go again in April!”

Among Liz’s many cherished memories with M&S, meeting her husband at the store stands out. The pair met in 1965 when Tom was working as an electrician in the store and were married two years later. They went on to welcome a wonderful daughter, Kate, 5 years later. Keeping it in the family, Kate has also worked at the store as a Ladieswear Assistant while attending university, and Liz is currently enjoying working alongside her grandson, Alex.

Reflecting on her six decades working for the retailer, Liz Osborne, says:

“M&S has played a significant role in my life and I couldn’t imagine working anywhere else. The people are what makes it such a wonderful place to work. My colleagues, management team and the company have been an incredible support and I’ve always been encouraged to try a new area of the store if I have wanted to. Obviously meeting my husband here is my ultimate highlight, and I’ve always appreciated how flexible the company has been as my family grew and I wanted to change my work pattern. Having my daughter and grandson work alongside me is something I am extremely proud of and testament to the experience I’ve had working here.”

Currently working as a Customer Assistant in Womenswear, Liz is excited to spend another festive season helping customers find the perfect Christmas outfit.

She said:

“Over the years, I’ve come to find the festive season truly starts when the M&S Christmas advert appears on screens. From that moment on, the atmosphere in the store is electric and I just love helping customers find the perfect Christmas outfit! “From this year’s range, I love all the knit wear in Per Una, but as soon as the sequin blazer hit the shelves, I knew one was coming home with me! ”The food range is also second to none and I’m proud to say I was the first to order my Turkey in the store this year - the quality is unmatched. “I’d like to take the opportunity to thank my team for making every moment of my 60th year so special – I really am so lucky to work with such amazing people and I have no plans to stop anytime soon!”

Store Manager Darcie Price added; “I am incredibly honoured to celebrate Liz’s 60th year with us this Christmas. Her dedication, hard work, and unwavering commitment have been an inspiration to us all. Liz has made a lasting impact on our team and our customers, and we are grateful for their exceptional service. Congratulations on this remarkable milestone”.

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