Meet the Chesterfield Co-op shop assistant celebrating 50 years working at the store

Susan Brown, 66, started working for the Co-op store in Staveley in April 1974, when she was just 16 and certainly did not expect she would spend the next half a century in the job.

When the Staveley shop closed its doors, Susan was transferred to the Brimington branch, where is still working today. Susan, who was born and bred in Chesterfield, said: “What I always enjoyed the most, has been working with the public, meeting people and caring for customers.

"Many things changed over the years and the biggest change was self-checkouts. Some people don’t like using them, especially the older generation who like being served by somebody. For some of them, shop assistants are the only people they see. They like to have a little chat at the checkout. It is very important to them.”

Susan, who lives in Poolsbrook with her husband Michael, has enjoyed serving the people of Chesterfield for the last 50 years but she is planning to wear her Co-op uniform one last time on April 20 before starting a well-deserved retirement.

She said: “I’m looking forward to retirement but I will miss my colleagues from work. I enjoyed working with them and have known some of them for years. We are a close little community, like a family. We are always there for each other through the good and the bad and support each other through problems. I’m staying in the area so I know we will still be in close contact after I retire.”

Lynn Smith, who works at the Brimmington Co-op with Susan, said: “I’ve worked with Sue for 35 years. She is one of the most supportive and caring colleagues I ever worked with.

"She is so much more than just a colleague. We are like a family. She goes above and beyond for everyone. Nothing is too much trouble. We’ve laughed together, cried together, gone through both good and bad times together and it will be so strange coming to work and her not being here.”