A lot has changed since our last post. The world has been gripped by a pandemic and we have adapted to our new way of life. Here at John Jempson & Son Ltd we have taken all the steps necessary to protect the safety of our staff and customers. As Christmas approaches, we would like to wish everyone a happy and healthy festive season and here’s to a brighter year in 2021.

Meanwhile, in other news, Traffic Office Administration Clerk Ashlei Burgess has left after a decade with the company. She has taken a job at XPO in Leeds and will be sorely missed by the team. Our loss is their gain. She has been replaced by Steve Ansett who we are sure will do a fabulous job.

With the summer finally upon us, things have been ticking along at Jempsons HQ. There is nothing much to report this month, aside from a little staff reshuffle. We are sad to announce that Sophie Sheasby, our Palletforce Depot Manager at Robertsbridge, is leaving us. She has done a fantastic job and we would like to take this opportunity to thank her for all her hard work and wish her luck in her future endeavours. The very capable Christine Cummings is leaving the payroll department to take up the position and we would like to welcome her to her new role.

This month we are full of good news!

We are beyond excited to announce that a lottery syndicate at Jempsons have won a rollover jackpot of £2.7 million – but they have decided to remain anonymous. Could it be you?!

Meanwhile, there have been some lucky winners in our monthly prize draw. Clive Whitling won a Kindle and hamper in the January competition and Malcolm Sargent was awarded a £100 Sainsbury’s voucher at the end of February.

Until next month!

Jempsons Commercials Office Supervisor Martin Pagden, 56, tells us about his time with the company.

“I started working for Jempsons in 1995. I had been a workshop supervisor for BRS in Tonbridge but was made redundant. After having a week off work, I posted my CV out to a couple of companies. Soon after, I got invited to an interview here and started a couple of weeks later! I began my career as a fitter before moving on to deputy supervisor and finally office supervisor. My day involves processing job cards and time sheets, planning MOTs, pricing jobs and invoicing, plus general office and vehicle records admin. The best thing about working for the company is the flexibility and the fact that it is a family-run business.”

We are thrilled to announce that we are launching a monthly prize draw for Jempsons employees. To be in with a chance of winning some fabulous prizes, all you need to do is keep an eye out for your raffle ticket which will be attached to your payslip and keep it somewhere safe. Winners will be announced at the end of each month.

Meanwhile, we sent four Jempsons lorries to take part in Operation Brock earlier this month, which saw 89 lorries held at the disused Manston Airport in Kent and then travel in convoy to Dover for a “no-deal Brexit” test run. “There is a fundamental change coming for the transport industry and it is better being involved than not,” says MD Mark Chamberlain.

Finally, we would like to congratulate Asa Isted, Paul Jones, Anthony George and Jordan Cutting for passing their LGV tests, seeing them progress from stage 2 to stage 1. Well done!

Paul gets into the Christmas spirit in St Michaels, Tenterden

The Christmas countdown has begun and one staff member who has been getting into the spirit of the season of goodwill here at Jempsons is Paul Fuller. The Service Manager used the cherry picker to erect the Christmas tree for the St Michaels Village Community Group on Sunday November 25, bringing a smile to the faces of the locals.

Meanwhile, five of our drivers are preparing for their LGV (large goods vehicle) licences, meaning they will be eligible to drive articulated lorries. Wish them luck! We will update you on their progress in the New Year.

We would like to wish all of our customers and staff a very happy Christmas and a fabulous New Year! Until January…

Three Jempsons employees took to the skies in September to raise money for the mental health charity Mind. Friends and family gathered at Headcorn Aerodrome on  September 8 to watch loved ones Jessica Tallis, Ashlei Burgess and Dean Mitchell, who all work in the general traffic office at Robertsbridge, throw themselves out of an aeroplane from 12,000ft.

Jessica says, “We chose Mind because many people will suffer from mental illness at some stage in their lives and we were surprised to find out how poorly funded and stigmatised mental health is. We also wanted to raise awareness within the company that it’s okay to not be okay and there is always someone who will listen. We at Jempsons sadly lost one of our much-loved colleagues in 2016 when he took his own life, so we also wanted to raise the money in his memory.”

Jessica Tallis, Dean Mitchell and Ashlei Burgess and 

The trio had an initial target of £1,200 but were amazed to have raised a whopping £3,672.89 at the last count. What’s more, the fundraiser was featured in the Rye & Battle Observer and they received a message from JustGiving to say that, out of the 88,412 fundraising events that they had running in September, their page finished in the top one per cent for total money raised.

Jessica adds, “Ashlei and Dean loved the jump so much that when we landed they wanted to go back up and complete another! I, on the other hand, was pleased to have survived the petrifying experience and I don’t intended to be hurtling towards the ground at 160mph again any time soon!”

Meanwhile, our candidates who won the selection process for the British Gypsum Driver Of The Year competition, Bryan Walker and Stephen Nwaefuna, spent a gruelling day in Burton On Trent on October 16 trying to prove their mettle in a series of heats. While Bryan, who reached the final of Driver Of The Year, and Stephen, who was up for Most Improved Driver, didn’t win, they were delighted to take part and be recognised for their efforts.

We are looking for HGV drivers to join the team on our prestigious distribution contract, based in East Sussex. Looking for both day and night away drivers. Call 01580 881777 and speak to Steve/Dave/Jess to arrange an interview.

This month, HGV fitter Mick Dixon, 72, tell us about how times have changed during his long career with Jempsons…

Tell us about life when you started with the company…

I started in 1961. Mr Jempson Snr was in charge when I started. The good thing about him was that you could hear him coming because he always had a cough. So if you were doing something you shouldn’t, you knew you had to stop!

What did your job entail then and how has it changed?

I used to do all the breakdowns. The biggest one I can remember is when an engine failed at the Mont Blanc Tunnel and I had to go out there, repair the engine and bring the lorry back home. I was on call 24/7 so used to be sitting on the side of the bed at 1, 2, 3am, talking the drivers through their breakdowns to see if they could get themselves going. I used to be able to go back to sleep, but my wife couldn’t!  Now we’ve got newer lorries, it doesn’t happen so much. In the old days, you took things to bits and repaired them, but these days they’re run by a computer and you fit new parts. We were called fitters and mechanics in those days, but they’re called technicians now. Now I’m part-time and in the workshop, doing a bit of driving and helping out with servicing.

Any plans to slow down a bit?!

I should be retired but I always say you need something to do. I mean, I play golf, but you can’t play golf seven days a week! I will carry on as long as my head is in gear and there’s work.