Introducing – Tom Parker’s Creamery

A slightly different take on one of our clients

This is my second post to introduce you to some of my customers and share with you their stories/journeys of how they started and where they are now.  I am going to do this one from a slightly different angle. To be honest all of my clients amaze me and I enjoy working with all of them.

At the begining….with SALSA

Tom Parkers Creamery produce fantastic flavoured milk. Tom Parker was the great grandfather of the founder of the current Creamy and the milk from this family farm is used to make the milk. Working with the team we achieved the SALSA standard within 6 month of them moving into their new unit.

Milk & More is one of their customers, therefore during the pandemic, they have been extremely busy and this is where I am going to change track on my storytelling. This is more about how we really should take the time to appreciate and value all those that have been keeping the country going in the last two months.

A roller coaster pandemic

At the start of this pandemic I think we may have all experienced the same emotional roller coaster, starting with denial, moving into ‘I’m sure it will be ok’ then quickly into sheer panic.  I have discovered I am not genetically designed to be kept indoors for long periods of time. Its just not fair on those who are locked in with me. I was also worried about the finances of the business, as was everyone.

This is when Tom Parkers Creamery took on a different relationship, whilst on the phone to check how things were going for them, I made the offer that if they needed any help in any way to ask and they did. I became a milk maid, driving their milk from the farm to the dairy and ran the drive through shop.

Learning on the minimum wage

My biggest learning from this was how physically hard you have to work to earn the minimum wage.  My body just ached so badly. I learnt that despite being a manual handler trainer, I still did some appalling examples of lifting. I learnt that this country has been kept going over the last few month from the lowest paid and hardest working people.

My personal opinion is that anyone doing a physically demanding job should be able to retire at 60, or maybe I just need to be fitter. I was lucky Rob Yates the Managing Director is a great person to work for and he recognised all of the teams’ efforts.

Through other’s eyes

I have said this before but I think every EHO should work in a busy kitchen for a least one shift. I also think all of us should do a few days working on a minimum wage job. Seeing things through other people’s eyes can only be a good thing surely.

Despite the physical exhaustion, I loved my time being a proper member of the Tom Parker team, with the added bonus of easy access to their delicious milk – a few of my neighbours are addicted.

Thank you Rob and the team. x