Each day, team members in our Ipswich office receive a raffle ticket, and a winner is selected via our prize wheel. Prizes already awarded include a Sonos speaker and a set of headphones, with more exciting items still to come - rumour has it a TV and a vacuum are in the mix. Well done to our winners so far and good luck to all over the next 10 days!
A huge congratulations to Mark for an incredible 40 years with Hughes! Throughout his time with us, Mark has played a vital role at our Ipswich depot, taking on various roles and always going above and beyond for both his team and our customers. Thank you, Mark, for your loyalty and dedication over the years!
Meet the newest members of the Hughes family! 🎉 We’re excited to introduce our latest characters – say hello to Sudz, ICE, Roasty Rose, and more! These fun appliance personalities are making their debut across our social media, website, in stores, and even on TV. Keep an eye out – you never know where they’ll pop up next! Hughes – At the Heart of Home Life.
Recently, one of our Ipswich contact centre advisors used her community day to support her daughter’s school on a trip to Suffolk One for the Skills Escalator Day, focused on future careers. The students took part in a variety of engaging workshops, including boxing, performing arts, IT and design, art, civil services, and more. The event gave them valuable insights into a wide range of industries and helped them understand the skills needed to pursue those career paths. Inspired by the experience, her daughter is now considering careers as a mechanic, police officer, or electrical engineer. We’re delighted to hear that this community day has made such a positive impact on Genevieve, her family, and the future aspirations of her daughter’s classmates.
Recently, Sam, one of our Insurance Advisors from the Ipswich Contact Centre, took part in her children's childminder's annual summer trip as a volunteer! They enjoyed a fantastic day out at Pettitts Animal Adventure Park, making the most of the sunshine and all the activities on offer. At Hughes, we’re proud to support our people with two additional days of paid leave each year, dedicated to volunteering. Whether it’s getting involved in charity work, school fetes, or local community events, we encourage everyone to take the opportunity to give back to causes they care about. Sam is already looking forward to using her second volunteer day soon!
Recently, the whole marketing team got together and spent the day going through their exciting plans for next financial year. In the evening, they tackled the spooky Twilight Manor escape room at Cluetopia. The team made a thrilling escape in just over 58 minutes, with only a few screams heard along the way! Afterward, they relaxed with a meal and drinks at The Botanist in Ipswich, sharing great conversation and plenty of laughs. To end the night, they hit up a karaoke bar. While no one grabbed the mic, they couldn’t resist showing off a few dance moves and enjoying a casual sing-along.
One of our employees, Miloni, recently got married, and we want to send a big congratulations her way! The wedding celebration stretched over four unforgettable days, filled with love, tradition, and vibrant moments. The 4 days included a Mehendi ceremony, Garba and Sangeet celebrations, the wedding ceremony, and a Reception. It sounds like it was an incredible celebration, it must have been a truly special time for Miloni and everyone who joined in the festivities. At Hughes, we offer a variety of staff benefits, including contributions for weddings and civil partnerships. As a family-owned business, we recognise the importance of supporting not just our staff, but also their extended families. We're proud to offer this benefit as one of the many perks aimed at supporting our employees, recognizing both the excitement these milestones bring and the costs they can involve.
This month, we launched a virtual course for all our shop staff focused on cooking technology. The course covers various topics such as fuel types, hob types, oven technology, and more. It's just one example of the ongoing training we provide to ensure our team can offer the best possible experience and advice to our customers. Looking ahead, our staff will have the exciting opportunity to meet with some of our top suppliers, exploring a variety of products and their features. This will give our team valuable insights into the latest appliances, helping them to stay updated on the latest features in the electrical market.
At the end of December, we celebrated two employees marking 25 years of service at Hughes! Steve began his journey with us over 25 years ago as a van assistant. He then moved on to managing stock at one of our depots, using his trusted forklift to unload lorries in all kinds of weather! Today, Steve works in one of our workshops, overseeing the ordering of parts for our engineers and stores. Gill joined Hughes on December 20, 1999, working part-time in the accounts department. In 2004, she took on the responsibility of managing the direct debits function. Throughout her time here, Gill has gained valuable experience in shop support and ledger. Fun fact: she even had a brief stint with Hughes in 1997, where she assisted in scanning paper contracts. We want to send our congratulations to Gill and Steve on reaching this incredible milestone. To show our appreciation for their dedication they both received a £300 dining voucher, we hope they enjoy a well-deserved meal. We look forward to celebrating many more years with them both and look forward to giving this reward to many of our other employees in the future.
Earlier this week to celebrate Christmas, the team at our Thetford warehouse participated in a festive chocolate hunt. Reindeer and Santa's were hidden throughout the depot and offices. Anyone who discovered a reindeer had to snap a selfie and enjoyed a delicious festive chocolate treat. If you were fortunate enough to find a Santa, you got to choose from a selection of prizes! Congratulations to everyone who was lucky enough to find one!
