{"id":3266,"date":"2013-08-09T14:54:49","date_gmt":"2013-08-09T12:54:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ceidiog.com\/pr\/?p=3266"},"modified":"2019-04-24T11:55:45","modified_gmt":"2019-04-24T09:55:45","slug":"pam-employee-of-the-year-finds-dream-job-at-swansea-debenhams","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ceidiog.com\/pr\/news\/pam-employee-of-the-year-finds-dream-job-at-swansea-debenhams\/","title":{"rendered":"Pam, Employee of the Year finds dream job at Swansea Debenhams"},"content":{"rendered":"

A woman who hadn\u2019t worked for years because of illness has been named Employee of the Year just 12 months after landing her dream job at Swansea\u2018s Quadrant Shopping Centre Debenhams store. <\/span><\/p>\n

Pam Border, 49, who suffers from severe osteoarthritis, says she didn\u2019t think there was a job she could manage but a chance conversation in the Debenhams caf\u00e9 as she enjoyed a coffee changed all that. <\/span><\/p>\n

Pam, who lives in Cimla, near Neath, with her daughter, Natalie, said: \u201cI just couldn\u2019t see myself getting a job then one day I heard, when I was having a coffee in the store, that Debenhams were recruiting. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI thought I\u2019d give it a go but you had to apply on-line and I couldn\u2019t do that. Anyway, the manager gave me an interview and I landed the job. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cBasically I work 16 hours a week. I do Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday lunchtimes and four hours on a Saturday. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cMy job is to greet customers in the restaurant and advise them on specials we might have on offer and generally help them with their food and drink orders.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

She added: \u201cI absolutely love the job and the staff are brilliant too. I like to treat people as I\u2019d expect to be treated – like a queen, to be honest. I meet so many nice people and love working with all my colleagues. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI just love the job I can\u2019t say much more than that. I won Employee of the Month last September just two months after I started. I couldn\u2019t believe it and can\u2019t believe I won the Employee of the Year Award. It\u2019s amazing.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

And Pam says while getting a job hasn\u2019t improved her disability it hasn\u2019t made it any worse either. <\/span><\/p>\n

She said: \u201cI was worried I\u2019d end up in more pain but that hasn\u2019t happened. In fact I feel better about myself really even if the pain won\u2018t go away. Now I\u2019m not sure what I\u2019d do if I didn\u2019t have my job. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI meet so many nice people and just really like the staff in the Debenhams team from the managers to the cleaners. It\u2019s like being part of a big family.\u201d <\/span><\/p>\n

Ian Kirkpatrick, Manager of the Quadrant Centre, said: \u201cPam does a wonderful job for Debenhams and you\u2019re treated like royalty when you arrive at the restaurant.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sure lots of people go there just to see her because she is always so cheerful and helpful and makes a fuss of you.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Debenhams store manager, James Loxdale, says there could only have been one winner of the Employee of the Year title. <\/span><\/p>\n

He said: \u201cI am very proud of all our staff at Debenhams Swansea. They have all played their part, and done a great job, throughout the store modernisation programme we have just completed which was launched last week and went exceptionally well. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPam has been an outstanding member of staff since she started with us 12 months ago. She has acted as our in-store restaurant welcome host. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cQuite simply, Pam puts a smile on everyone\u2019s face as she greets and helps them chose their favourite meals and snacks and updates them on our special offers. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI was delighted to give her the opportunity to join our team here at Debenhams 12 months ago. She is just a really lovely lady with a big heart and character. So many customers comment about her welcoming smile and manner. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe had 11 other candidates from our Employee of the Month awards but Pam\u2019s outstanding performance meant she was the stand-out candidate and I\u2019m delighted she has won.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Lucky winner Pam has received a \u00a3200 Debenhams Voucher and will attend Debenhams\u2019 Celebrating Success Gala Event at Alton Towers next month for all the Debenhams Stores Employees of the Year from across the UK.<\/span><\/p>\n

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