Plymouth Depot

Our South West area sales manager is born and bred Plymothian, Andrew Aldred. Being in sales, we know he has the gift of the gab. But we hope he’s a bit chattier with customers than he was when he answered our questionnaire! We asked Andrew a) where he was born, b) which cartoon character he’d like to be, and, c) which is his favourite holiday destination. Whilst the rest of the team went to some length to explain their choice of answer, Andrew gave us a series of one liners. So here they are: a) Plymouth, b) Homer Simpson, and c) Cyprus. Doh! Knowing Andrew, we’re guessing he was way too busy looking after our lovely clients in Devon and Cornwall to waste time on frivolities!

Regional manager of our South West depot, here in Plympton, is David Tafner. David isn’t actually a janner or Plymothian but a scouser, though since he moved to Plymouth with his family back in 1989, we reckon he’s practically a native now. His favourite fictional character is Buzz Lightyear, but when it comes to time off from the daily grind, David prefers Cornwall to ‘infinity and beyond’. And his top spot? “Porthleven. You can have fun for a fortnight there – on the beach, walking around the harbour or along the cliffs. It’s bliss!” And David should know: he’s been going there for 32 years.

Rhiannon Sowden admits that she’s not really a Devon girl, having always lived over the border in Cornwall. An office administrator here in Plymouth, Rhiannon would like to be Cheetara from Thundercats: “She’s one of the coolest female hero characters, and she has some special skills and powers that would be very handy for keeping the Plymouth team in check!” When it comes to choosing a top spot for R&R though, it’s not Thundera but Jamaica for Rhiannon: “I love reggae, Red Stripe and Jamaican food, and, of course, the weather’s a bonus. I spent my honeymoon in Montego Bay so it’s a very special place for me. I can’t wait to go back!”

Plymouth girl Shevaun Stevens is one half of our ‘duo’ of office administrators, working with her team-mate, Rhiannon, to make sure everything is shipshape here at the Plympton depot. If Shevaun could be a cartoon character, she’d be Tails from Sonic the Hedgehog “because he can fly”. And if that was the case, we don’t doubt that she’d be heading off for her top holiday destination — Australia — for another walkabout. “I’ve been to plenty of countries, but I went to Oz for a couple of months with my Dad, travelling along the East Coast. It was awesome!”

Here at the South West depot in Plympton, our operations manager, Wayne Clemens, is a true Devonian. Born and bred in Plymouth, he’s such a fan of the South West that he sees no reason to go anywhere else: “Why would I? I love where I live, so when it comes to holidays I’m happy to stay around beautiful Devon and Cornwall, with all their miles of magnificent coastline. The most important thing is that my kids enjoy themselves — and I get to go fishing!” And which cartoon character would Wayne like to be? “Wile E Coyote: because he never ever gives up trying to get the Road Runner. You really have to admire his persistence.” Meep, meep!