The Vineyard Group celebrates 1,000 years of combined service of its hotel staff from The i
Employees at a Newbury hotel group have been celebrating more than 1,000 years of combined service.
The Vineyard Group, which owns The Vineyard, Donnington Valley Hotel & Golf Club, The Post and Deanwood Park in Newbury, as well as The Kingfisher in Bedford, hosted an annual awards ceremony to mark the milestone.
This year managing director Andrew McKenzie and The Vineyard night manager Tom Fenemore both hit the milestone of 25 years, while PA Serena Brooke-Taylor and HR director Emma Jenkins celebrated 15 years, along with Ryszard Dudek, head kitchen porter at Donnington Valley.
Celebrating 10 years of service were head pastry chef at Donnington Valley, Muhammad Iftikhar, and food and beverage supervisor at The Vineyard, Pawel Gniazdowski.
Mr McKenzie said: “We are immensely proud of the team we have built up over the last 25 years.
“The 1,033 years of service show the genuine calibre of person we employ – all of whom are passionate, dedicated and hardworking.
“As we spend five days a week at work it is hugely important to enjoy the job you are doing, which is proven by the longevity of our amazing team.”
A further 12 employees from across the group also hit the five year mark and each received an additional pay cheque based on their years of service - £250 for five years, £500 for 10 years, £750 for 15 years, £1,000 for 20 years and £1,250 for 25 years.
Many of those recognised had started off in a junior role and taken their careers to a management level within the company, winning hospitality awards along their journey.
Employees are also encouraged to introduce friends or family members and they receive a £1,000 bonus for those who are taken on the payroll by the group.
Monthly SURE awards – support, understanding, respect and excellence – are also given out by The Vineyard Group to employees based on votes from their team members and there is an annual employee of the year award.
The winner enjoys a five night stay at the Peter Michael Winery in California and the runners up win a two night Eurostar trip to Reims with dinner at Taittinger Champagne or a one night stay in a UK Relais and Chateaux hotel.
