A very happy 80th birthday Freda Mounsey from our Carlisle store!
Freda's worked on the store's fish counter for 30 years and says she was overwhelmed when colleagues surprised her by singing happy birthday and presenting her with balloons, cards and flowers.
She said: "I was gobsmacked! I wasn't expecting anything like that so it was a total surprise. It was lovely.
"I love the people I work with and I love setting the fish counter up. I love chatting to customers too. There's one family who have been coming in for years who gave me a birthday card.
"I've always been on the fish counter – everyone calls me 'Freda Fish'.
"I love fish – I eat it five days a week and could live off it! I used to go fishing for trout with my dad when I was a little girl.
"Customers ask me lots of questions about fish, how to cook it, and I tell them everything, they're always very appreciative."
Freda, who's a widow, has three children – Jacklyn, Raewyn and Simon – and six grandchildren.
Deputy store manager Jason Clark, pictured here presenting Freda with a bunch of flowers, says everyone at the store loves working with her.
"She's a much-loved and respected colleague, absolutely fantastic with the customers, a joy to work with and a fantastic asset to the team," Jason said. "I wouldn't be surprised if she's here when she's 90!
"It was lovely to have a celebration for her a birthday, and she was overwhelmed by it all."
The store's community champion Niki Iveson organised Freda's birthday surprise.
She said: "Freda came in to start her shift and we all sang 'happy birthday' to her. She loved it and couldn't stop smiling.
"She's loved by absolutely everybody in the store – colleagues and customers – and she's got such a great sense of humour too."
