M&S staff celebrate more than 20 years of combined service

Ethan Evans
·2-min read
M&S Kingsley Village staff celebrate over 20 years combined service <i>(Image: M&S)</i>
M&S Kingsley Village staff celebrate over 20 years combined service (Image: M&S)

Six employees at the M&S Kingsley Village store are celebrating a combined service of over 20 years this summer.

Remarkably, all six women are closely related, with Holli Darch working alongside her sister, mother, aunt, and in-laws.

Baker Gail Parker, a long established member of the team, joined the store when it first opened in 2019, where her interactions with both colleagues and customers have provided some of her career's most treasured memories.

She said: "I’ve worked at this wonderful store since the day it opened, and I’ve loved every minute of it.

"It’s a pleasure to come into the store each day and work alongside so many fantastic people, including my amazing family!"

The youngest of the six ladies, Holli Darch, was inspired to join the M&S Kingsley Village staff in October 2020 by her five relatives, all already working there.

It seemed natural for her to join in with the family tradition.

Ms Darch spoke on the store's significant renovation last summer: "It’s been amazing to see how our store has changed and improved.

"I work in the Foodhall and I’m so proud to see how it has expanded to accommodate new and regular customers."

(Image: M&S)

Julie, Donna’s mother, took up a career at M&S nearly two years ago.

She shifted from managing another retail store to join her daughter at M&S, demonstrating that familial bonds extend even in career choices.

She said: "I fancied trying something new and M&S Kingsley Village felt like a natural fit.

"I have really enjoyed working here ever since."

Store manager Bea Cudmore expressed her delight at the familial connections within her team, saying: "We say we feel like a big family at M&S Kingsley Village, so it’s only right to actually have a family amongst us.

"Holli, Chloe, Kate, Gail, Donna, and Julie are all incredible hard workers, and we see it every day.

"It’s a pleasure to witness their family bond."

The Kingsley Village Store, employing 121 colleagues, benefited from a £2million investment in June 2023 to improve customer experience.

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