Happy Father’s Day to dads everywhere – including our 85-year-old colleague Jack Plummer who works at our Sheffield store with his daughter Maria Northcliffe and granddaughter Alicia Northcliffe.
Produce colleague Jack, who’s been widowed twice, worked as a plasterer and taxi driver before he joined Asda in December 2002. He’s got no plans to retire.
Jack said: "I like to keep busy – I’ve never stopped working and have got no plans to retire. I want to get to 100!
“The job gets me out of the house, keeps me busy and gives me a reason to get up in the morning.
“I started out working here as a porter, then worked in George and now I’m in the grocery department. I enjoy it.”
He's a lovely man – he talks to anyone and helps anyone. He’s a real gentleman.
His daughter Maria, who’s 49 and works as a service section leader, said: "It’s lovely to have him and Alicia working here. Everybody loves my dad, they come up to me and say ‘your dad’s a legend!’.
“It’s a lovely family environment in the store anyway and having my dad and my daughter here just adds to that for me.
“My dad’s job keeps him going – he enjoys it and loves chatting to customers. He says he’ll only leave when he can’t do the job.
“Alicia has mild autism and working here has really brought her out of her shell too. She started out in the bakery and was then encouraged to get a role in our petrol station. It’s been great for her – it’s really helped her progress with her communication skills.
“Asda have been great with me too, I started five years ago on checkouts and have worked my way up.”
Alicia, who’s 21, joined the store four years ago.
She said: "We’re a close family and I’m really close to my grandad so it’s nice to work with my mum and grandad. He's a lovely man – he talks to anyone and helps anyone. He’s a real gentleman.
“I’d been rejected for quite a few jobs before I applied to Asda. I was shy and wouldn’t talk much to people or make eye contact.
“Working here has really helped my confidence and helped me talk to people. I enjoy working here.”
