Over 170 years of experience in Long Service Awards

With over 170 years of experience between them, these long serving members of staff have been recognised with awards for their long service at Rose Calendars.
The five people, who include two ladies who are sisters, have seen many changes and developments over the years in the way calendars are produced and the machinery used. With so many long serving staff who demonstrate their knowledge and experience, it’s very clear that staff are extremely loyal and remain in the business for many years, with over 400 years of service amongst the company’s staff.

The longest serving member of staff is John Battersby, who has clocked up a record breaking 48 years at the company. He received his award for 45 year’s service, as the company recognises 5 year milestones. John began work at a tender age, and continues to carry out the important role of guillotine operator, producing more than 1.5 million calendars a year. As every calendar in the range uses unique photos every year, there are thousands of sheets printed. The calendar pages are guillotined by John and then used to create the varied titles in the range, being collated in the factory and finished using specialist binding machinery. With subjects ranging from Wildlife to Transport, the full range of calendars is extensive, giving customers a broad choice when promoting their brands on an advertising calendar.

Keith Osborne is the second longest serving member of staff, clocking in at 40 years of service with the company. Having worked his way up through the business, he too began work as a young man operating our printing machinery. Keith is shown in this black and white photograph. Keith has extensive knowledge and expertise in the printing of the calendars we produce every year, and by him managing this process we are able to keep customers happy and ensure all the orders are printed and despatched successfully.

Julie May and Christine Taylor are sisters, and have both worked for the company for 34 and 30 years respectively, with Julie about to reach her next milestone of 35 years this year. Julie recalls covering Maternity Leave for her sister when she left to have her son. She remembers it well as he celebrates his 35th birthday this year. Julie and Christine work in the bindery, where the calendars are all finished, bound and packed. This element of the work demands a high degree of accuracy and care to ensure all the calendars are finished to the exacting standards which customers command. The majority of the calendars produced are bound with wire, but an extensive range of calendars finished in different ways is also produced, with hand finishing being a vital element in our production. Each and every calendar produced is packed ready inserted into an outer wallet or envelope, and this process takes place for all of the calendars printed in the factory every year. Julie and Christine are assisted by a team of other workers, who all work tirelessly to ensure all the calendars are dispatched in time to be sent out to customers at the end of the year.

Dan Clarke, Print Supervisor celebrates 25 years with the company, having begun his position as apprentice at the age of 18. Dan’s collection of old work photographs demonstrate some of the occasions over the years when pictures have been taken, and familiar and old faces can be seen in the pictures. Dan now manages the digital side of our business, producing some of our specialist and tailored work and a higher degree of personalisation with high quality finishes.

Managing Director Michael Rose said
“We are extremely proud of our workforce, who demonstrate continued commitment and high levels of skill in the production of our calendars. To have been established in Colchester since 1908 and to have over 400 years of experience amongst our long serving staff, is a true credit and I’m very honoured to be a part of this.”