SEWARD RECOGNISES 400 YEARS OF LOYALTY NEARLY 400 years of loyalty were recognised by Seward Motor Group with the presentation of long service awards to 16 members of staff. The lengths of service ranged from 20 to 33 years with the 16 staff notching up a combined 398 years of employment with either Seward or other companies subsequently acquired by the group. The longest-serving employee, Julie Diffey, joined the company as a six-week holiday relief typist. Thirty three years later, Mrs Diffey is employed as purchase ledger administrator at Seward’s Branksome site. “The time has flown by but it’s a good company to work for,” she said. Each member of staff was presented with a personally inscribed Cross ballpoint pen and a bottle of champagne at a special lunchtime reception. Paying tribute, John Saunders, Managing Director, said he had always believed that the staff were themost important asset of any company. “You can have great branches and great products but, in the end, it comes down to people. It’s good to recognise their loyalty,” Mr Saunders said. The 16 staff honoured and their length of service (in brackets) were: Julie Diffey (33), David Law (32), Simon White (31), Richard Christopher (30), Martin Pulleyblank (27), David Castle (25), Philip Webber (25), Geoff Beddoe (22), Tony Deuters (22), Roger Battrick (22), Owen Smith (21), Mike Upshall (20), Tonya Hopkins (20), Bob Hansford (20), Mark Cater (20) and Mark Laming (20). Seward Motor Group was founded in 1989 and has grown from a business employing 30 people and a £3 million annual turnover to a company with a 400-strong staff and a £100 million turnover. Its operations now extend across Dorset, Hampshire and West Sussex and include four main dealerships and seven bodyshops.