prefect's dinner 2008

Mr Mark Adlestone, Old Arnoldian and Managing Director of Beaverbrooks the Jewellers returned to his old school to offer some expert advice to Sixth Form leavers. On the occasion of the Prefects’ Dinner, a candle lit black tie gathering at which the school says thank you to its senior pupils, Mark explained how his company puts the welfare and happiness of its employees before profit and makes 20% of its post tax profit available for charitable causes every year.

The family owned company, whose headquarters are situated in St Annes, recently received a Lifetime Achievement Award, having been in the Top 10 of the ‘Sunday Times Top 100 Best Companies To Work For’ list for the last 5 years and Mark personally regained the prestigious Best for Leadership Award, having previously held it for three consecutive years.

Beaverbrooks’ ethos is to make looking after and motivating staff their main priority and has led to an enviable level of loyalty and commitment. The high degree of staff satisfaction is a major contributor to the impeccable customer service delivered in all its stores, and customer satisfaction has led the company to grow from 19 stores in 1979, when Mark joined the business, to its present 62 stores nationwide.

On the eve of the 26th Beaverbrooks 10K Fun Run, in which our pupils have an incomparable record of involvement, it was fitting to be reminded that attending to the needs of others is rewarding, and in thanking prefects for their service to others, Mark encouraged student to continue such altruism into university years and their working life beyond. It was also fitting that the vote of thanks was given by Head Boy, Adam Jackson, who is Mark’s cousin.

Posted by: CFD White
Date: Friday 2/05/2008