Colleague News 16.06

Emma Maythan (Funeral Director | Funeral | Kings Lynn Operations)

Emma was nominated for delivering exceptional care, compassion and professionalism while supporting a family through a bereavement. She provided consistent guidance and reassurance, managing arrangements with sensitivity and attention to detail. Emma created a meaningful and personal service experience, ensuring all family members felt supported and included. Her empathetic approach made a significant difference during an incredibly difficult time.

Category 1: Outstanding contribution to the integration programme

Brad Tuckfield (Change Delivery Manager, Field-based), Anya Newton (Team Leader, High Street Sawston Store), Alistair Stevenson (Team Leader, Hethersett Store), Raine Harding (Customer Team Leader, Littleport Store), Joshua Meacham (Team Leader, Littleport Store), Natasha Buck (Team Leader, Bungay Petrol Filling Station), and Emily Curry (Team Leader, Halesworth Petrol Filling Station) were nominated for their outstanding contribution to the Chelmsford Star integration. Over six months, they supported the transition of 29 stores, training more than 500 colleagues on new systems, processes and ways of working. They travelled extensively and worked away from home to provide hands-on support in store, delivering training across areas such as tills, stock, health and safety and operational processes. They took strong ownership of challenges, proactively identifying issues and working with central teams to resolve them through to completion. Their flexibility, resilience and commitment enabled colleagues to adapt successfully, resulting in strong health check outcomes and a smooth integration overall.

Category 2: Increasing cross trading within our family of businesses

Rebecca Britland (Store Manager | Food | Bakewell Superstore) was nominated for championing cross-business awareness in her store. She proactively introduced travel brochures for both colleagues and customers, helping raise awareness of the Society’s wider offer. This led to strong engagement, with customers actively using the brochures and providing positive feedback. Rebecca also worked to connect customers with other areas of the business, including utilities and mobile services, arranging opportunities for customers to learn more in store. Her initiative has helped drive increased participation, improve visibility of services and strengthen customer loyalty.

Category 3: Delivering exceptional performance and/or service results

Emma Fraser (Funeral Trading Support Co-ordinator | Funeral | Lichfield Support Centre)

Emma was nominated for her exceptional support to a family navigating an extremely complex and sensitive situation. She worked closely with external organisations, including the National Association of Funeral Directors and government representatives, helping the family raise the issue at parliamentary level. Despite the ongoing challenges, Emma has shown unwavering dedication over many months, maintaining regular communication and support for the family. Her compassion, persistence and ownership have had a profound and far-reaching impact beyond normal expectations.

Kathleen Ward (Team Leader | Food | Acocks Green Store)

Kathleen was nominated for consistently delivering outstanding customer service. She goes above and beyond to support customers, particularly those who may need additional assistance, always offering a warm, welcoming and helpful approach. She is highly regarded by both customers and colleagues, with regular positive feedback recognising her kindness, professionalism and commitment to creating a friendly shopping experience.

Nicola Jones (Senior Nursery Manager | Early Years | Newbiggin Nursery)

Nicola was nominated for her exceptional leadership and dedication across multiple nurseries. She has provided ongoing support to teams, covering additional locations, supporting recruitment and reducing reliance on agency staff. She consistently works additional hours, maintains high operational standards and supports colleagues with her extensive knowledge and guidance. Her passion and commitment have strengthened team performance and ensured high-quality care across settings.

Emma Maythan (Funeral Director | Funeral | Kings Lynn Operations)

Emma was nominated for delivering exceptional care, compassion and professionalism while supporting a family through a bereavement. She provided consistent guidance and reassurance, managing arrangements with sensitivity and attention to detail. Emma created a meaningful and personal service experience, ensuring all family members felt supported and included. Her empathetic approach made a significant difference during an incredibly difficult time.

Nathan Armson (Travel Manager | Travel | Burton Travel)

Nathan was nominated for his outstanding performance in securing a £211,000 booking. Over five months, he demonstrated persistence, strong customer engagement and proactive management of the opportunity. By maintaining regular communication and adapting his approach, he successfully converted the booking, delivering significant commercial impact and showcasing exceptional commitment and professionalism.

Ramandeep Deol (Chef | Early Years | Hounslow Nursery)

Ramandeep was nominated for maintaining high standards in food safety and service while building strong, positive relationships with children and colleagues. She has quickly become a valued member of the nursery team, showing care, empathy and flexibility in supporting others when needed. Her ability to manage dietary requirements, budgets and kitchen organisation demonstrates her dedication and professionalism.

Karen Evans (Property Manager | Support Services | Warwick Support Centre)

Karen was nominated for delivering exceptional results through her expertise in property and contract management. She successfully secured a £271k refund and £371k year-to-date savings, demonstrating strong commercial awareness and relationship management. Her consistent high performance delivers significant value to the business and highlights her professionalism and impact.

Kristel Withers (Store Cooking Demonstrator | Food | Chipping Norton Store)

Kristel was nominated for her outstanding community support and dedication. She played a key role in supporting a young fundraiser by helping secure funding, organising in-store awareness sessions and building confidence through ongoing encouragement. Kristel also contributed her own time and effort to support fundraising initiatives. Her commitment has made a meaningful difference both to the individual and the wider community.

Every day, our colleagues do brilliant work across our family of businesses. Colleague of the Month provides an opportunity to shine a spotlight on those making a positive impact.

Each month, we’ll celebrate colleagues through three award categories:
•  Category 1: Outstanding contribution to our integration programme
•  Category 2: Increasing cross trade across our family of businesses
•  Category 3: Delivering exceptional performance or service