Bus company staff honoured

More than 20 members of the bus company’s staff from across West Sussex, Hampshire and Surrey have clocked up an impressive 650 years’ service in total.

An award ceremony took place at The Brookfield Hotel in Emsworth, where presentations were made by Stagecoach South managing director Edward Hodgson.

He said: “The bus industry can require exceptional levels of commitment from those who work within it and we so value the contribution of all our employees across the business and the support from their partners and families.

“Our long-service awards provide a great opportunity for us to recognise the loyalty and devotion shown by our many long-serving employees, who have all contributed in helping us to shape and develop the company into one of the country’s leading bus operators.”

Before their recent retirement, Chichester bus driver Ron Cooper completed 35 years and John Purslow, engineering manager at the Worthing bus garage, completed 29 years.

Winchester bus driver Nick Knight has clocked up 45 years, having joined Stagecoach’s predecessor Hants & Dorset in 1972.

Other notable milestones were made by Guildford-based Shaun Broom and Malcolm Simpson from Winchester, who both celebrated 40 years with the company.

A special tribute was made to longest-serving employee John Clarke from Aldershot, who has been driving buses for 48 years.

Awards to other long-serving employees who have recently retired included Jenny Harris, travel shop clerk at Aldershot after 53 years and Brian Travis from Andover after 30 years.