40 years of service and camaraderie
Men and women with thousands of years of collective experience in the energy sector have celebrated their four decades worth of service at UK Power Networks’ annual ‘40+ Club’ celebration.
Over 170 guests from the company’s Eastern, South Eastern, and London regions gathered at The May Fair Hotel in London, to mark the monumental long-service achievements.
The evening was a chance to reunite with old friends, reminisce, and celebrate four – and in some cases five – decades at the company.
The 40+ Club welcomed 22 new members marking their 40th year of service in 2023, who were presented with a certificate by chief executive Basil Scarsella. In total the company has 400 members of staff who have served over 40 years. The 11 employees who have recently reached the heights of 50 years of service or more were also presented with certificates.
UK Power Networks, a founder member of the Levelling up Coalition, sixth on the UK Inclusive Companies list, and one of only 6% of companies worldwide to achieve Platinum Investors in People status, hosts the event annually to salute the dedication of employees who keep the power flowing across London, the East and South East.
Chris Richardson, 56, a health and safety manager from Welwyn Garden City and based in Stevenage, is one of the new members of the illustrious unit. Having left school at 16 and joining as an apprentice with what was then the Eastern Electricity Board, Chris has worked as a fitter, foreman, engineer, and a plethora of management roles.
“I feel privileged to be part of the 40+ Club. There are not many people in many industries who have lifelong careers,” he said. “This industry is a job for life. If you are committed to the industry, it is a fantastic place to work, and I love it. I still enjoy my job!
“Something that goes unseen by the general public is the commitment by engineers and jointers, fitters, and linespeople who undertake standby duties, and provide a 24-hours-a-day call out service. Day in and day out, when there is a fault on the network, we respond and restore customers supplies. There are men and women in this industry who are really committed, and I think that deserves as much recognition as it can get.”
Mark Gadsden, 56, a linesperson from Luton, based out of Houghton, is another new member of the club. He commented: “It is very good to catch up with old friends. One major positive change I’ve seen is the focus on safety, which I am very pleased about.
“I enjoy training youngsters to a standard where they can look after the network and themselves. I love our camaraderie particularly during storm duties when we fix power lines damaged by falling trees for example. We make sure that each one of us can go home to our families safely, and if a team is struggling, you might have finished your job but you go and help them out.
“I would tell my younger self to respect other people, your workmates are who you're looking after. And always keep the focus on taking care of safety.”
Basil Scarsella, chief executive, said: “We take this opportunity to recognise the tremendous commitment and dedication of our longest-serving employees, who have served their local communities tirelessly for decades.
“I am grateful to all of our staff for their key role in keeping the power flowing safely and reliably for the millions of customers we serve.”
Phil Beach, chief executive Energy & Utility Skills, said: “Energy & Utility Skills would like to congratulate the new members of the UK Power Networks 40+ Club on your achievement, your years of dedication to the industry, and the wealth of knowledge and experience that you contribute to the organisation.”
Published: 20/07/23
Over 170 guests from the company’s Eastern, South Eastern, and London regions gathered at The May Fair Hotel in London, to mark the monumental long-service achievements.
The evening was a chance to reunite with old friends, reminisce, and celebrate four – and in some cases five – decades at the company.
The 40+ Club welcomed 22 new members marking their 40th year of service in 2023, who were presented with a certificate by chief executive Basil Scarsella. In total the company has 400 members of staff who have served over 40 years. The 11 employees who have recently reached the heights of 50 years of service or more were also presented with certificates.
UK Power Networks, a founder member of the Levelling up Coalition, sixth on the UK Inclusive Companies list, and one of only 6% of companies worldwide to achieve Platinum Investors in People status, hosts the event annually to salute the dedication of employees who keep the power flowing across London, the East and South East.
Chris Richardson, 56, a health and safety manager from Welwyn Garden City and based in Stevenage, is one of the new members of the illustrious unit. Having left school at 16 and joining as an apprentice with what was then the Eastern Electricity Board, Chris has worked as a fitter, foreman, engineer, and a plethora of management roles.
“I feel privileged to be part of the 40+ Club. There are not many people in many industries who have lifelong careers,” he said. “This industry is a job for life. If you are committed to the industry, it is a fantastic place to work, and I love it. I still enjoy my job!
“Something that goes unseen by the general public is the commitment by engineers and jointers, fitters, and linespeople who undertake standby duties, and provide a 24-hours-a-day call out service. Day in and day out, when there is a fault on the network, we respond and restore customers supplies. There are men and women in this industry who are really committed, and I think that deserves as much recognition as it can get.”
Mark Gadsden, 56, a linesperson from Luton, based out of Houghton, is another new member of the club. He commented: “It is very good to catch up with old friends. One major positive change I’ve seen is the focus on safety, which I am very pleased about.
“I enjoy training youngsters to a standard where they can look after the network and themselves. I love our camaraderie particularly during storm duties when we fix power lines damaged by falling trees for example. We make sure that each one of us can go home to our families safely, and if a team is struggling, you might have finished your job but you go and help them out.
“I would tell my younger self to respect other people, your workmates are who you're looking after. And always keep the focus on taking care of safety.”
Basil Scarsella, chief executive, said: “We take this opportunity to recognise the tremendous commitment and dedication of our longest-serving employees, who have served their local communities tirelessly for decades.
“I am grateful to all of our staff for their key role in keeping the power flowing safely and reliably for the millions of customers we serve.”
Phil Beach, chief executive Energy & Utility Skills, said: “Energy & Utility Skills would like to congratulate the new members of the UK Power Networks 40+ Club on your achievement, your years of dedication to the industry, and the wealth of knowledge and experience that you contribute to the organisation.”
Published: 20/07/23