STAFF at a Thurrock store have congratulated a popular member of their team who has just clocked up 30 years service with the Co-op.

Last year Thurrock Nub News featured jovial Janet Chandler, who is a popular and familiar figure with staff and customers, as she approached her anniversary.

That has now arrived and when she arrived at the store yesterday (Wednesday, 25 February) colleagues were waiting with gifts and a bottle of bubbly!

Janet has been with the Co-op since joining the company in Harold Hill.

The Co-op has been an integral part of Janet's family life – her sister Tina is a Co-op baker at the Aveley store – and she says she could not wish for a better job.

Over the years she has had varied including being a supervisor and deputy manager at stores in Becontree and Aveley, but she could not be happier than in her current one as a baker at the Sockets Heath store in Grays.

"It's a great job. We love to supply our customers with the best and turning around this fresh produce; rolls, bread, croissants, fruit pies and even doughnuts is a lovely thing to be able to do," said Janet.

"I think my favourite is producing rolls, they smell so good – it's tempting to eat them straight away but we have to get them to the customers which is a good job as I think I'd be a lot bigger," she laughed.