Most Inspiring Independent Jewellers
Catherine Harrington moves to head office after juggling studying for a degree with a full-time job and becoming a mother.
Catherine started working as a Saturday sales assistant while she was at school and joined the store’s team full time when she left school.
Her career has now moved on to the next level within the business which encouraged her to make the decision to study for Upper Second Class BA (Hons) Education Studies degree at University Centre at Blackburn College (UCBC) with the support of her employer.
She said: “I left school and was really shy and went straight to work at Peter Jackson’s full-time as I was already working on Saturdays there”
“I never thought higher education would be accessible to me and although I wanted to continue to study, I wanted to choose a subject that could be put to good use at work and never wanted to leave Peter Jackson to do it!”
Catherine studied for her degree one day a week whilst working five days a week at Peter Jackson the Jeweller. Then in the second year of her studies she fell pregnant and so ended up juggling work, study and a new baby.
She said: “It wasn’t planned but I wouldn’t change anything and everyone has been incredibly supportive. I had [my daughter] Isabel and so I was juggling work, a baby and my university course but I managed and now I have my beautiful daughter and a degree, as well as a job that I love!”
Catherine Harrington graduated from UCBC with an Upper Second Class BA (Hons) Education Studies degree.
Peter Appointed As Hospice Trustee
Our Managing Director Peter Jackson has been appointed as a Trustee of Trinity Hospice and Brian House Children’s Hospice in Blackpool.
Peter said “I am delighted to be able to work with such a worthy cause. The Hospice is a wonderful organisation that has touched most people in one way or another”
The Hospice provides end of life care for the people of Blackpool and the Fylde Coast and only 30% of the £7,000,000 annual running costs are provided by the government, the rest must be independently raised.
Further information is available from www.trinityhospice.co.uk
Bury Winner Jets Off To Jersey
UK Jewellery Awards ‘Brand of the Year’ Jersey Pearl recently organised a sales incentive with a trip for two to Jersey as the top prize.
Jersey Pearl is one of the hottest brands of the moment and their range offers the perfect balance of classic and contemporary pearl jewellery (view the collection in store or online now!)
Peter Jackson the Jeweller is delighted to announce that Sophie Loftus from their store in The Rock beat off tough competition to be crowned the winner and will be jetting off to the spectacular island of Jersey where she will be given an “Access all Areas” factory tour as well as exploring the island and (I’m sure) squeezing in a spot of shopping too!
Store Manager Kathryn Litherland said “I am so proud of Sophie! She worked incredibly hard throughout the incentive and is a very deserving winner!”
Peter Jackson Staff Complete Tough Mudder And Raise £1,600 For Charity
Our team of 7 survived the gruelling Tough Mudder experience, pictured above all smiles at the finish line.
The team took on 25 extreme obstacles over a 12 mile distance designed to break you, but with physical and mental determination the team worked together and got through it.
Completing Tough Mudder is a great achievement and one they should all be proud they have accomplished, not only have the team overcome a massive challenge but they have also raised a great amount of money for the Roy Castle Lung Foundation.
Congratulations to Jordan Dashti, Samantha Duerden, Gemma Smith, Ryan Unsworth, Charlotte Culshaw, Philip Hinchcliffe and Marcus Grendall on a great achievement.
Peter Jackson Staff members take on this year’s Tough Mudder
We have a team of 7 to take on possibly the toughest event on the planet!!!
Our team will put their bodies on the line to raise as much money as they can for Roy castle lung cancer foundation.
The team will take on 25 obstacles over a 12 mile course designed by the British Special Forces to test you to your limits…
Visit www.toughmudder.co.uk to see exactly what the team must overcome.
The team will swim through ice, crawl through mud and barbed wire, run through fire, and get electrocuted. If you would like to donate please follow this link to be taken to the team’s donation page.
http://www.justgiving.com/PeterJacksonJeweller
To find out about this great charity we are representing and to see how your money really does help the cause visit www.roycastle.org
We will keep you updated with the team’s progress, thank you for all your donations.
Princes Trust Butterfly Ball raises £42,000
We have supported the work of the Prince’s Trust for a number of years and were recently involved with the hugely successful Butterfly Ball held at the Dunkenhalgh Hotel near Blackburn.
Guests included Russel Watson, Zoe Tyler, a team from Strictly Come Dancing and the Army Military Wives choir, whose performance left hardly a dry eye in the place.
We supplied 100 pairs of ‘diamond’ earrings which were sold for £25 each. Ninety nine were fakes and one lucky winner got the real pair worth an amazing £1500.
The event raised a staggering £42,000 to help the Prince’s Trust in Lancashire. To read more about the work the Princes Trust do, please see our Links page.
UK Jewellery Awards 2013
We are delighted to have been shortlisted in the prestigious UK Jewellery Awards – the industry’s Oscars – in not just one but two categories.
The two categories are Independent Retailer of the Year and Employer of the Year and we have been shortlisted because of our customer service ethos and employer credentials.
Over 200 jewellers from all over the country entered these awards so just to reach the finals is a great achievement.
Having made it to the finals of Independent Retailer of the Year & Employer of the Year categories we now have everything crossed until the finals.
Our stores will now undergo a series of visits as the next part of the judging process and the winners will be announced at a glittering award ceremony which will be held on 4th July at the Natural History Museum in London.
We are extremely grateful to our dedicated team and for the support of our loyal customers and suppliers, all of which have made this recognition possible.
Another JET Diploma on the Company
We are delighted to announce that Jaime Bell has passed her JET exam having studied for two years and sitting a final exam at Leeds University and can now use PJ Dip. after her name.
The coveted Professional Jewellers award, Jewellery Education & Training, has become the benchmark for retail jewellers’ staff and Jaime’s result has added another diploma to the growing number of our staff who have completed the course.
We are very proud that 12 of our team are JET Diploma holders, 5 of these being achieved with distinction.
With more of our employees studying the course, keep a look out for the growing list of diploma holders at Peter Jackson.