Meet the team....

Sharon Sampson

Sales Support – Plant Division

I started as a Production Operator within the Plants Division, on a temporary part-time basis. I soon progressed to the label room where I had to ensure the labels for all customer orders were ready for production to complete the daily production runs. I was then approached regarding an office based role to assist the Account Manager with our M&S Account. In this role I ensure the administration function for the account is completed by adding daily orders in to the system and keeping the forecast up to date, which ensures production knows what they need to produce and by when. I am still in this role and I love dealing with our customers on a day to day basis.

Pedro Saraiva

Production Supervisor – Flowers Division

Starting in early 2011 as a Team Leader running the Vandenberg machine and managing a small team of people, I soon had the opportunity to progress to a different area of the business. In the print room I was responsible for ensuring that all labels printed contained the right information before being distributed to production. I also got involved in the planning of the production runs which meant that I had to work closely with other areas of the business to ensure that we had the right amount of product, people and the capacity to generate and deliver the orders. After a while I was approached to take up the role of Relief Supervisor in the main production area. This meant that I would be managing a team of up to 50 employees on a daily bases – a challenge at times but one I enjoyed! It wasn’t long before I was offered the role on a permanent bases. Since joining the Company I have trained to become: First Aider, Fork Lift Driver and I hold the Alcohol licence for the site. More recently I have just completed the in-house Supervisor training course.

Simon Bell

Supervisor – Growing Division

I started at Westside Nursery in 2011, a few months after the nursery was opened where my initial role was as a Nursery Operative. I soon recognised that if I pushed myself to learn and understand more about how the nursery worked I would be in a good position to progress further, if a role became available. My career path has been from Nursery Operative to Assistant Team Leader helping torun the transplanter & potting machines, to team leader taking control of the potting area and looking after the spacing, to Production Supervisor which involves me taking control of all packing and product going to the main packhouse and to other customers. I have completed my NVQ level 2 in horticulture passing my PA1 and PA 6 allowing me to spray product; also I have recently completed a supervisor’s course to allow me to learn different techniques in handling different situations. Looking forward there will be more opportunities for me to develop of my career as the nursery expands.