Chris Drought and Winns go hand in hand, and now that working relationship has gone beyond the 15-year marker.

The experienced First Response Team Leader is set to hit a major milestone at the company, an achievement not matched by many but never in doubt after the first couple of hours of his first day all those years ago.

He said: “On my first day at the delicate age of 16 (👀) I walked into Winns with a sense of trepidation. However, after a couple of hours I felt right at home and knew this was the job for me. I was excited by the challenges that lay ahead.

“It feels a little surreal looking back. The time has flown by – it only seems five minutes ago since I first walked in the building.

“Working here has been a rollercoaster ride with far more ups than downs. Not one sick day in all that time and I still love coming into work as no one day is ever the same.”

Whenever a lengthy work anniversary arises, it’s always interesting to discover what encouraged the person to stay at the company for as long as they did. But for Chris, who also wanted to thank Executive Chairman Jeff Winn, Chief Executive Officer Chris Birkett, and all the Directors for their support over the years, the reason is a simple one.

Chris continued: “I have a genuine love for a lot of colleagues and nothing makes me happier than seeing their careers develop.

“The company has expanded so much and developed in every area. I feel like I have been there every step of the way and contributed to the development and growth of the company.

“I may be old but I have enjoyed growing old with the most amazing people in many different teams. I am excited by the challenges that lie ahead and seeing the company go from strength to strength.”

Chris Jones, Winn Group Associate Director – Head of the First Response Team, said: “I would like to thank and congratulate Chris on his 15 years, this is a huge achievement.  

“He has been an integral part of Winns’ growth and leads by example having never been off with sickness, or even being late, over the last 15 years.

“I am looking forward to another 15 years of working with you, my old mate.”